Geist You are looking into matters with one eye blinkered widely shut. Did you forget the trigger to all this was Khomeini’s revolution which actively embolded 12ers.
He demanded ‘extra’ rights’ while suppressing the rights of ‘others’ within his own boundaries!!!
Yes there should be Unity in co-operation and tolerence for mutual benefits - Unity is a bit far-fetched as the differences are fundamental and quite divergent.
Only personality like Imam Mahdi (ra) can achieve this miracle of uniting Shias and Sunnis into one Ummah.
Now I think it’s ‘West’s’ agenda to embloden the ‘Sufis’ - read it - it’s all in the papers!!!