Against the backdrop of growing protests against Iran’s regime, a conference was held this week in Tehran marking six years since the killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad airport on orders from then-President Donald Trump.
Among the participants at the conference, where Soleimani was described as a “symbol of resistance, courage and defender of the oppressed,” was Hakham Younes Hamami Lalehzar, a senior figure in Iran’s Jewish community. Representatives of terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, also attended, along with delegates from countries such as Iraq and Yemen.
Speaking to local media, Hamami said, “From the way the enemies of the martyr Soleimani assassinated him, and from the recent actions of the enemies against innocent people, women and children, one can understand the noble conduct of the martyr Soleimani.”
He said Soleimani’s “courage went beyond Iran’s borders,” citing what he described as Soleimani’s assistance to Yazidis and Assyrians in Iraq during attacks by the Islamic State group.
“This approach stems from theological and faith-based beliefs that are a source of pride for us as his fellow citizens,” Hamami said. “He showed that through faith and religious belief, behavior can become humane.”
Hamami added, “It is true that the enemies succeeded in assassinating him, but our belief is that a person is not limited to this transient world, and the best place is for those who fall on God’s path. The enemies killed Haj Qasem, but they did not kill his way of thinking. These beliefs have spread throughout Iranian society, the region and among nations.”
Meanwhile, as protests erupt across Iran over the severe economic crisis and the collapse of the national currency, Jewish communities in the country are keeping a low profile and avoiding areas of unrest.
There has been no change in daily life for the communities so far, but caution remains high. Only recently were most Jewish detainees released, except for one, after being arrested following the 12-day war with Israel in June for criticizing the Tehran regime.