Country: Iran

Group: Jewish

Date Finalized: 11/23/21

Team: Natasha Chandra (lead), Ash Pessaran, Mason McNeel, Zaida Arellano Reyes, and Jocelyn Chen

The Jewish people of Iran suffer from ethnocide and there is evidence to support this. The data quality is a 2 because there are some reputable sources with evidence relating to ethnocide of the Jewish people in Iran

The Jewish in Iran are an ethnic minority living in Iran. In August 2000, in an interview with Morris Motamed, representative of the Jewish people in Iran, stated that “life in the Jewish community in Iran has not changed from that of the pre-revolutionary period” (RefWorld, 2002). Motamed claims that there is widespread discrimination against non-Muslims in education, government recruitment, job promotion, Hebrew instruction, and criminal law (RefWorld, 2002). Jews were coerced to convert to Islam through threats and bribes and were not allowed to practice their religion freely (Moreen, 1981). Some Jewish community members have expressed complaints about the restricted use of Hebrew instruction (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, 2002). Additionally, anti-Semitic rhetoric is common in both informal and formal settings (ACCORD, 2015; Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, 2002). The Jewish community has religious freedom but deals with constant suspicion of cooperating with the Zionist state and with “imperialistic America” which are both activities punishable by death (RefWorld, 2002). Jewish people who apply for a passport to travel abroad have to do so in a special bureau and are immediately put under surveillance (RefWorld, 2002). Currently, Islamization is present and it has brought about strict control over Jewish educational institutions (RefWorld, 2002). Jewish principals have replaced Muslim principals, the curriculum is Islamic, and Persian is a forbidden language of instruction (RefWorld, 2002). However, Jewish people in Iran insist that they practice their religion openly, are free to leave by their choice, and that those who stay in Iran choose to do so because they want to, not because they have to (Rezaian, 2013). Over the past decade, Iran has grown to become a safe haven for Jewish people after President Ahmadinezhad left office (Moreen, 1981).

Sources

  1. Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation (ACCORD). (2015). Iran: Freedom of Religion; Treatment of Religious and Ethnic Minorities: COI Compilation. Retrieved November 15, 2021 from https://www.refworld.org/docid/5609522a4.html
  2. Moreen, V. B. (1981). The Persecution of Iranian Jews during the Reign of Shah ʿAbbās II (1642—1666). Hebrew Union College Annual, 52, 275–309. Retrieved November 15, 2021 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23507735
  3. RefWorld. (2002, June 3). Refworld | Iran: Update of IRN25152.E of 15 October 1996 on the situation of Jews. Refworld. Retrieved November 15, 2021 from https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be4a12.html.
  4. Rezaian, J. (2013, October 2). Jews in Iran: They say they feel at home in an Islamic republic. Washington Post. Retrieved November 15, 2021 from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/irans-jewish-community-reflects-a-complicated-relationship-with-israel/2013/10/02/e531039e-2ac4-11e3-b141-298f46539716_story.html