On thing that many people fail to fully grasp about Iran is that there are effectively two governing powers in Iran. There is the state which, if memory serves, is actually a Republic. There is also the religious authority, which has, since 1979, usurped the Republic authority and operates its own military, the Revolutionary Guard - which is generally tasked with policing thought and training terrorists.
Bottom to top. While this can mean destroying something from the base to the top, it can also mean bringing what was on the bottom to the top.
Iran doesn't want war with America. It wants to restore its citizen government. IE - Persia. We have an America-centered view of things, but it is indeed time for Patriots to fight and for us to take care of the heavy lifting.