Fresh Air

The Iranian regime despises Israel and is a regular source of virulent antisemitism – this is not in question. Since the Iranian Revolution of 1978-79, when Islamic extremists took control of the country and imposed their repressive and draconian laws that took away Iranians’ basic human rights, it has not only been vocal in its malevolence towards Israel, but actively involved in encouraging constant terror attacks against it.

However, Iran’s regime is not representative of all Iranians, and there are many Iranian people who openly express their support for Israel, Israelis and the Jewish diaspora. This is especially so since Hamas’ October 7 terror attacks, and the ensuing Hamas-Israel war; Iranians have shown their support for their Jewish brothers and sisters both within Iran – despite the danger it puts them in – and abroad, including attending pro-Israel rallies, posting on social media and being actively involved in efforts to counter antisemitism.

At rallies across the world, it’s not unusual to see the Iranian flag being waved proudly alongside Israeli flags. Iranian anti-regime activist Vahid Beheshti said at a conference earlier this year that “90% of the Iranian people are against the regime. As soon as the Americans and their allies harm the Iranian regime, the people of Iran will rise up and finish the job.”

“Despite all the propaganda of the Islamic Republic, the people of Iran continue to risk their lives and show their support for Israel.”

Signs of this occurred on October 9 – just two days after Hamas committed the worst massacre of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust. Iranians verbally protested against the raising of the Palestinian flag at a local football match, chanting, “Take that Palestinian flag and shove it up your a**!“

This was repeated on May 6, when local Iranian football fans yelled the same chant against the Palestinian flag being raised.

On social media, Iranians have been using the hashtag #IraniansStandWithIsrael to show their support. The hashtag went viral for well over 24 hours following April 13, when the Iranian regime directly attacked Israel, firing about 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

The hashtag continues to be popular, with some tweets saying: “Iranians will always stand with Israel. Both Iranians and Israelis share a mutual enemy, mutual values and a mutual hope for peace in a Middle East that is devoid of terrorism.”

Another tweet stated, “Forever stand by each other #IraniansStandWithIsrael, while another read, “Israel is a dear friend of our Iranians. Peace be upon Israel. Long Live Israel.”

While some may think that Iranians supporting Israel may be spurred by a desire to rebuke their extremist regime, the link between Iranians and Israelis and Jews is actually a historic one with roots going back almost 3,000 years.

Jews can trace their history in Persia to the 6th century BCE – or 2,700 years ago – and were an important part of the rich cultural fabric of the region. However, following the Islamic invasion and colonisation in the year 642, Persian Jews began to suffer from persecution and oppression.

The Constitutional Revolution of 1906-1911 brought about major improvements for Persian Jews and other minority groups across Iran. The country was one of the first Muslim-majority countries to recognise Israel after it was re-established in 1948. Prior to the Iranian Revolution, the two countries were close allies – as the two non-Arab countries in the Middle East – and shared a strategic alliance.

Under the dictatorship of the Shah, King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, between 1941 and 1979, Iran was run as a somewhat secular nation that embraced some Western-style elements, including cultural freedom. Iran was also allied with the United States and the United Kingdom.

Since the current regime took power in 1979 – and especially since 1985 – its leaders have pushed an extreme anti-Israel ideology, replete with vicious propaganda and antisemitism. Regime representative Mahmoud Nabavian recently said that ‘true Islam’ meant fighting against the United States and Israel.

Since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks and the ensuing war (Hamas is one of at least 13 Iranian terror proxy groups), the Iranian regime has boosted its anti-Israel rhetoric and increased its threats (also launched that first direct attack against Israel, on April 13). However, as has been noted, these actions have been counter-productive, with Iranians increasingly demonstrating their support for Israel. The slogan, “Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon, I will sacrifice my life for Iran,” has become popular at sporting events, at protests and online.

Canada-based Sadegh Rohani, who hosts a Farsi language podcast for Persian children outside of Iran, tweeted: “Israel has never been as popular in Iran as it is now. Even if there were Israel supporters before, they were not as outspoken as they are today.”

Before this demonstration of support, Israelis had been some of the most prominent supporters of Iranians in their ongoing battle for freedom and basic human rights, following the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini – whose violent death at the hands of the regime’s ‘morality police’ in September 2022 caused international outrage and kicked off the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protest movement, both in Iran and across the world.

Prominent Israeli journalist and activist Emily Schrader has spearheaded global efforts to share information and raise awareness about the horrific situation Iranians, and especially  Iranian women, are forced to endure.

In 2023, she said, “Iranians are not our enemies, rather our allies in the fight against their own government, which spreads violence and terror everywhere. As Israelis, we proudly stand with the people of Iran.”

That same year, Schrader launched the #IsraelisloveIranians social media campaign, with support from multiple Israeli and Jewish organisations and public figures, including the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, better known as CAMERA, the Combat Antisemitism Movement, the Tel Aviv Institute, the Women’s International Zionist Organisation or WIZO, plus Arab-Israeli social activist Yoseph Haddad, Israeli Olympian Sagi Muki, model Nataly Dadon, and Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan, amongst many others.

Iranian Vahid Beheshti – whose family moved to Britain 24 years ago and who regularly protests outside the UK Foreign Office as part of his campaign to get the British government to proscribe the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation – recently told UnHerd magazine: “The people of Israel and Iran share the same enemies and we have no choice but to fight together,” adding that they were both fighting against a fundamentalist ideology of hatred.

“We need Israel to win, to beat Hamas,” he said.