Tehran: As tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel persist, members of Iran’s Jewish community have reaffirmed their national identity, emphasising their connection to the country.
In a video shared on Instagram by documentary director Sayyed Mohammad Hoseini, members of the Jewish community in Shiraz spoke of their sense of belonging, placing national identity above religious identity. “Before being Jewish, we are Iranian first,” one member said.
“We are Iranian Jews, not Jewish Iranians. We have a 2,500-year-old history. Our path is separate from the Zionists,” another community member said, underscoring the group’s long-standing presence in the country. Others described their lives as integrated within Iranian society, saying they are able to practise their faith while maintaining a strong national identity.
Iran’s Jewish population, now a fraction of its pre-1979 size, remains the largest in the Middle East outside Israel. The community continues to maintain religious and cultural institutions, even as its numbers have declined over time.
The community has also been affected by recent developments. A synagogue in central Tehran was reportedly damaged in a missile strike several weeks ago. Homayoun Sameh, the Jewish representative in the Majles, said the attack took place during Jewish holidays and described it as targeting “one of our ancient and holy synagogues,” according to The Jerusalem Post.
Regional tensions have remained elevated since February 28, with reports of strikes, retaliatory actions and military posturing involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Iranian officials have said attacks on their territory caused casualties and damage to infrastructure, while Tehran has also claimed responsibility for retaliatory missile and drone operations targeting US and Israeli-linked sites across the region. Independent verification of these claims remains limited.
By early April, officials indicated a period of de-escalation followed by tentative diplomatic engagement. On May 1, a senior US administration official said hostilities had “terminated” for legal purposes linked to congressional requirements, even as underlying tensions persist.
The remarks from Shiraz reflect an effort by members of Iran’s Jewish community to assert both their national identity and their place within the country during a period of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
