As headlines focus on the escalating war between Israel and Iran, one significant reality is often overlooked: Iran is home to the largest Jewish community in the Middle East outside of Israel. Despite political tensions between the two states, an estimated 17,000 to 25,000 Jews continue to live in Iran, preserving a vibrant culture and heritage that stretches back over 2,500 years.

Jews arrived in the region as captives following conquests by the Assyrian and Babylonian empires. According to one Jewish legend, the first Jew to enter Persia was Sarah bat Asher, a granddaughter of Prophet Jacob, underscoring the deep historical and spiritual roots of the community.

Today, the Iranian Jewish community is largely concentrated in major cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Hamedan, and Tabriz. These cities are home not only to synagogues but also to schools, community centers, and Jewish cemeteries—testaments to a longstanding and enduring presence. There are over 100 synagogues in Iran, with more than 30 synagogues in Tehran, some of them centuries old, including the Yusef Abad and Darvazeh Dolat synagogues.

The Iranian constitution officially recognizes Judaism as a minority religion, alongside Christianity and Zoroastrianism. The Jewish community has a designated seat in the Iranian parliament (Majlis), currently held by Homayoun Sameyah Najaf Abadi. This legal representation allows the Jewish community a formal voice in national affairs—a rarity in the region.

In response to Israeli attacks on Iran in October 2024, Homayoun Sameyah Najaf Abadi, publicly condemned the support of the United States and certain European countries for Israel. He stated, “The instigator of this conflict and hostilities has been the Zionist regime, which has consistently engaged in acts of assassination and sabotage.”

Symbolically and spiritually, Iran’s Jewish heritage remains deeply rooted. Isfahan, historically a center of Jewish life in Iran, features the prominent Ezra Yaghoub Synagogue located near a mosque named Al Aqsa, reflecting centuries of coexistence. In Tehran, the Jewish-run Dr. Sapir Hospital stands as a symbol of interfaith service, offering medical care to all Iranians, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Despite state-level hostility between Israel and Iran, many Iranian Jews distinguish their identity and patriotism from foreign politics. They often stress their loyalty to Iran and their desire to live peacefully as Iranian citizens.

Historically, Jewish presence in Persia dates back to the Babylonian exile. Biblical figures like Esther and Mordechai are central to Jewish-Persian identity, and their shrine in Hamedan remains a pilgrimage site for Jews around the world.

While political conflict rages between Israel and Iran—with the involvement of the United States—the lived reality of Iranian Jews must not be overlooked. This war represents an act of aggression against all the people of Iran, including its Jewish citizens.