Summons and Threats Against Iran’s Jews Following Iran-Israel Conflict
Following the conflict between Iran and Israel, summons and pressure by security agencies against the Jewish community have intensified.
Published reports indicate the summons of two prominent rabbis and some religious leaders and threats against them, with warning and threatening messages sent to the Jewish community by the Kalimian Association.
According to a knowledgeable researcher who conducts research on Iranian Jews, in recent days a number of hazans (Jewish religious clergy) and two prominent rabbis in Tehran and Shiraz have been summoned by security agencies and, after being warned, have also been threatened.
According to this researcher, the Islamic Republic’s security agencies have forced the Kalimian Association of Iran to send threatening text messages to members of the Iranian Jewish community. These messages begin with the phrase “Dear Co-religionists” and warn them that any contact by Jews with outside the country is prohibited and that they will be held responsible for commenting on and resharing content related to the twelve-day conflict.
Additionally, in another message sent to the Jewish community, they were asked to participate on the previous Thursday, the 5th of Tir, in a support rally titled “Support for His Eminence Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, and the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The aforementioned rally was held yesterday at the “Abrisham” Synagogue in Tehran, and several Jews serving in the Islamic Republic’s military also attended in military uniforms and kippot.
“Homayoun Sameyeh,” the Jewish representative in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, also announced at this rally that as a result of Israel’s attacks on Iran, some homes of Iranian Jews have been damaged. His statements provoked extensive reactions from the Iranian Jewish community abroad. Iranian Jews outside the country considered this groundless and attributed his statements to pressure from security agencies, detention, and threats against them.
“Haravi Gerami,” the Chief Rabbi of Iran’s Jews, also attended this rally and stated in his remarks: “The Iranian Jewish community not only supports its nation and sovereignty, but stands alongside the Iranian people in a unified front in support of Iranian soil.”
The summoning of Jewish leaders by security agencies, as well as Christian citizens, occurs while the Jewish and Christian communities have repeatedly proven their loyalty to the Islamic Republic through their support and have stood alongside the Islamic Republic at all official occasions. However, the Islamic Republic regime, regardless of the support from these religious minorities, has exploited them only to advance its own objectives, including participation in elections and other official ceremonies, and has otherwise detained and harassed them.
Human rights experts have also warned that the Iranian Jewish community is caught in the political conflict between Iran and Israel and is increasingly exposed to violations of their legal rights and freedoms compared to the past.
