Who is she?
Dr. Efrat Sopher, an expert on Iran and the Gulf states, is today one of the most prominent Israeli female voices in the international diplomatic arena addressing Iran and radical Islam. The granddaughter of Meir Ezri, Israel’s first ambassador to Tehran, she grew up on stories of life in a free Iran—stories that reflected the harmony between Jews and Iranians in a country that, until a few decades ago, was rich in culture, history, education, and hope.
Today, in her professional role, she confronts a completely opposite reality, one that is all too familiar to the world.
Dr. Sopher serves as Head of the International Task Force on Iran and Radical Islam at the World Jewish Congress, where she works on policy development and strategic engagement in response to the Iranian threat and extremist ideologies.
The role
“In my work, I bring to decision-makers a clear understanding of the pathological and extreme mindset that drives the Iranian regime, and I try to interpret it for Israeli officials and world leaders. I meet personally with heads of state, participate in discussions at the UN and other international forums, and lead research, monitoring, and influence efforts against one of the most complex and volatile threats of our time.”
What is most important to understand?
“The regime’s top priority is its own survival, not the well-being of the Iranian people. It will do anything to preserve its stability, including rewriting reality and carrying out the most brutal acts imaginable. As we see today, people are being slaughtered in ways we can hardly comprehend, including through mercenaries brought in to do the regime’s dirty work against civilians.
"The way the regime distorts religious law and turns it into something dark is beyond description. For example, when female political prisoners are executed, they are raped beforehand—deliberately ‘defiled,’ so that, according to the regime’s warped beliefs, they will not reach heaven. These are acts so grotesque they are almost impossible to grasp.”
Women on the front lines
“We are witnessing Iranian women taking on a central role in the struggle to change their country’s reality. This marks a return to the significant position women once held, before it was stripped away by the extremist regime in power today. The protests in Iran reflect the rebirth of female leadership: women who are no longer willing to hide beneath the chador and who are taking an active role in demonstrations, even at great personal cost. They feel this is their moment and their responsibility to lead, to shape the future of their people. It reminds me of Queen Esther, a symbol of women in ancient Persia who once saved their people. This is also part of the shared historical thread between our two peoples, and why I believe there is real potential for coexistence.”
Will the regime fall?
“I am more optimistic than I have ever been. The regime is weaker today than it has ever been. We are also seeing many Iranians rally around Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. Three years ago, we hosted him in Israel, at the University of Haifa, where he publicly declared that Israel is the natural ally of the Iranian people who seek life. It was an incredibly moving meeting of civilizations, one that I believe will have a continuation.”
Your grandfather’s legacy
“My grandfather knew the Shah very well, and when he finished his diplomatic mission, they took a photo together so they could one day show it to their grandchildren. When I met the Crown Prince, I told him that the time had come to realize that shared hope and that our meeting in Israel was the first step. We all cried.”
Your relationship with the Crown Prince
“We meet from time to time in London, and the relationship is almost familial. He has presented his vision to the Iranian people, and Israel is part of that vision. There is a very strong chance that after the fall of the regime, Israelis and Iranians will live in peace. Our interests are so closely aligned, it almost has to happen."