Iran Drops Façade of Tolerance Toward Persian Jews

Tehran’s clerical regime claims it is hostile to Zionists, not Jews, but its renewed abuse of Persian Jews exposes that as a lie. The early years of the Islamic Republic were marked by systematic persecution of a Jewish community that has been resident in Iran for centuries. Later, the regime put on a more tolerant façade. That has winked out of existence in the aftermath of this summer’s humiliating defeat at the hands of Israel.

For years, the regime showcased the country’s small Jewish population as a propaganda tool to deflect accusations of antisemitism and to whitewash its attacks on Israelis and Jewish sites abroad.

JS

About the Author

Janatan Sayeh

Janatan Sayeh is the Iran research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian domestic affairs and the Islamic Republic’s regional malign influence. Born and raised in Tehran’s Jewish community, he studied Hebrew and Arabic at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received his B.A. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.

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Tehran’s clerical regime claims it is hostile to Zionists, not Jews, but its renewed abuse of Persian Jews exposes that as a lie. The early years of the Islamic Republic were marked by systematic persecution of a Jewish community that has been resident in Iran for centuries. Later, the regime put on a more tolerant façade. That has winked out of existence in the aftermath of this summer’s humiliating defeat at the hands of Israel.

For years, the regime showcased the country’s small Jewish population as a propaganda tool to deflect accusations of antisemitism and to whitewash its attacks on Israelis and Jewish sites abroad.

JS

About the Author

Janatan Sayeh

Janatan Sayeh is the Iran research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian domestic affairs and the Islamic Republic’s regional malign influence. Born and raised in Tehran’s Jewish community, he studied Hebrew and Arabic at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received his B.A. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.