“Throughout the sixteenth century, the Safavi [Safavid] Empire remained a profoundly disturbing force
in the Moslem [Muslim] world, dedicated to the defense and propagation of Shi’a doctrine at home and
abroad. This policy implied a normal state of hostility with the Ottoman Empire, punctuated only briefly
by periods of peace. By the seventeenth century, however, when the Safavi Empire reached its apogee
[peak] under Shah Abbas the Great (1587-1629), the fanaticism of the Shi’a revolution had faded, at
least in court circles; and a lasting peace with the Ottomans was concluded in 1639.”
-William H. McNeill, The Rise of the West, 1963
Today, Iran and Turkey are often political rivals. This passage suggests that this rivalry is based
on historical conflicts over
A. Control of land and natural resources
B. How to practice Islam correctly
C. The role of leaders, such as the shah and emperor
D. Democracy and political fanaticism