As the Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini said, if “it takes half our population dead to bring back the Al Mahdi, then that is what we will do”. This in response to why he declared war on the US in 1978.
Never underestimate an religiously insane, fanatical enemy ...
Ok you’ve convinced yourself Iran is more powerful and fanatical than Japan, Russia etc. That is a fantasy. However, if true then all the more reason to defeat them.