Iranian Chief Rabbi Yehuda Gerami declared that the country’s Jews “stand in a single front in defense of our homeland,” according to state news agencies.

Iranian Chief Rabbi Yehuda Gerami speaking at an anti-Israel rally in Tehran in 2023; illustrative.
(photo credit: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/FARS NEWS AGENCY)

Iran’s Jewish leadership publicly pledged full allegiance to the Islamic Republic on Thursday night, with Chief Rabbi Yehuda Gerami declaring that the country’s Jews “stand in a single front in defense of our homeland,” according to reports in the state-aligned news agencies ISNA and Tabnak.

Speaking at a gathering of Tehran’s Jewish community convened after Israel’s recent strikes on Iranian territory, Gerami said Jews in Iran “have shared the joys and sorrows of this nation for centuries” and view the Islamic Republic as “indivisible from our own identity.”

Any shedding of innocent blood, he added, was “an unforgivable sin in our scripture,” and he condemned “ideologies that falsely claim to represent Judaism while promoting racism and expansionism.”

“We followers of the Jewish faith believe deeply in justice and peace,” the rabbi said, urging Iranians of all religions to resist “war and occupation” and praying that “the fire of sedition will soon be extinguished.”

He stressed that Iran “has long been a refuge for Jews and other oppressed peoples” and noted that “the prophets of Israel are buried in this land.”

Iran Chief Rabbi Yehuda Gerami at an anti-Israeli Jewish gathering in Tehran, November 8, 2023. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Both outlets framed the remarks as proof that the country’s estimated 8,000-strong Jewish minority remains loyal amid heightened regional tensions.

Neither report mentioned any arrests or harassment of Jews following the Israel–Iran fighting, and there were no references to alleged espionage cases involving the community.

Iranian media highlights distance between Jewish community, Israel

Iranian media often showcase statements by Jewish leaders when Tehran’s conflict with Israel intensifies, portraying them as evidence of national unity and a rejection of Zionism.

Independent confirmation of such rallies is rare, however, as foreign journalists are generally barred from covering minority events inside the Islamic Republic.

Thursday’s pledge of support came less than two weeks after the Israeli attacks on Iran began two days after a ceasefire was announced. 

As reported by The Jerusalem Post