The position of the Jewish Population in Iran shocking to the Rest Of Us

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

The position of the Jewish population in Iran is shocking to the rest of us.

Since June 12, when Israel started bombing Iran, Nazila—an Iranian Jewish expatriate who asked me to withhold her last name for fear of regime retaliation against her relatives in Iran—had been anxious about the welfare of her family members. The text came from Nazila’s sister, who, along with her husband and children, is among the roughly 9,000 Jews who still live in Iran. After the escalation of hostilities with Israel, and the wave of arrests that Iran has conducted throughout the country, several dozen Jews were detained, according to human-rights-agency sources. Authorities have interrogated them, scoured their social-media and messaging-app activity, and warned them to avoid contact with any Israeli citizen or relatives abroad.                           

      Iranian Jews burning Israel's flag caused by Ayatollah regime

Jews maintain a presence within the Islamic Republic of Iran—the "Ayatollah regime"—as a recognized, protected religious minority, but they operate under strict constraints that require navigating the regime’s anti-Zionist ideology and adhering to Islamic laws. While their community has shrunk from over 100,000 to an estimated 8,000–15,000 since the 1979 revolution, those who remain are integrated into Iranian society, though they often do not openly advertise their identity and must remain politically neutral or pro-regime to stay safe. 

Here is how Jews are a part of the Ayatollah regime:

• Constitutional Recognition: Iran’s constitution recognizes Jews as a "People of the Book," granting them the right to practice their religion, operate synagogues, and run Hebrew schools.
• Mandated Parliamentary Seat: The Iranian Parliament (Majles) has a reserved seat for a Jewish representative. This representative, such as Homayoun Sameh elected in 2020, ensures the community has a voice in government, although this role is often seen as largely ceremonial and compliant with the regime.
  
      Jewish cemetery in Tehran
• Distinction Between Jews and Zionists: Ayatollah Khomeini established a policy separating the Jewish community from "Zionists" (Israel), which has generally protected Iranian Jews from being treated as enemies of the state, provided they do not openly support Israel.
• Forced Loyalty and Anti-Zionism: Jews in Iran are often coerced into demonstrating loyalty to the regime. They have been required to attend pro-regime rallies, condemn Israeli actions, and sometimes chant "Death to Israel" at school. Jewish leaders often publicly criticize Zionism to ensure the safety of their community.
• Adherence to Sharia Law: As non-Muslims, Jews are subject to Islamic, or Sharia, law. This means they cannot hold senior government positions, work as judges, or serve as military commanders. They are also subjected to discriminatory legal practices, such as different legal penalties in cases involving Muslims and non-Muslims. 
  
  
  

In summary, Jews in Iran are part of the system by living as a "protected minority" (dhimmi),or 2nd class citizens,  accepting limitations on their political and civil rights, and publicly separating themselves from Israel while participating in the life of the Islamic Republic. 

Now we can understand how they have been held for fear of their

lives and how they are breaking out of this brain-washing today.

After criticizing Iranian president, Jewish representative in parliament makes about face.  

Homayoun Sameh Najafabadi is an Iranian politician. He has served as the Jewish representative in the Islamic Consultative Assembly since 2020. According to Voice of America, Sameh said in 2024 that "Iranian government aid to the Jewish community's synagogues, schools, restaurants and social clubs has "increased greatly" in recent years."  One can easily see how the Jews have been used.

Homayoun Sameh expressed unqualified support for the regime in Tehran, and also held a sign that read: 'The day of the Islamic Revolution is the day of the triumph of light over darkness'; Meanwhile, two Jews arrested during the protests were released, another Jew is still detained.  Homayoun Sameh Najafabadi, the Jewish representative in Iran’s Parliament, announced in an open letter to the Iranian Jewish community that he has been summoned in recent weeks by intelligence bodies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to him, the reason for these summonses was “the comments and likes posted by some community members on Persian-language Israeli channels.” So he was caught by the government.

Resource:

AI, 

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/07/precarious-position-iranian-jews/683486/

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202310190352

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202310195998