Great Satan

The caricature of the Great Satan, by Carlos Latuff, the Brazilian cartoonist

The Great Satan is the expression that Imam Khomeini used in his speech after the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran to describe the United States. In that speech, he drew upon a Hadith where the chief of the devils (Iblis) gathered them after the Prophet Muhammad's mission and warned that misleading humanity would become more difficult. Similarly, in Imam Khomeini's view of the Islamic Revolution, the Great Satan—the United States—gathers the smaller devils, both internal and external, around itself to create turmoil.

It is said that this description is derived from the characteristics of Satan mentioned in the Qur’an. The Qur'an portrays Satan as a disbeliever, an enemy of humankind, arrogant, divisive, untrustworthy, corrupt, the leader of a faction, and one who beautifies evil deeds. Imam Khomeini believed that all of these traits were present in American policies. Imam Khomeini frequently used the term "Great Satan." In his moral, Qur'anic, and theological discussions, the phrase referred to Iblis or the evil-commanding soul, while in political contexts, it referred specifically to the United States. He also described the Israeli Zionist regime, in the context of criticizing Muslim governments' submission to it, as the "Little Satan."

The title "Great Satan" has also been repeatedly used by Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the second leader of the Islamic Republic. In his view, although Iblis is the head of all devils, he can only whisper and tempt, whereas the United States not only deceives but also commits acts of killing, plunder, and sedition. This description is also used in anti-American demonstrations as a slogan to express hatred and rejection of U.S. policies.