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Memri
2 days ago
- Politics
- Memri
The Iranian Regime Spreads Antisemitism: Supreme Leader Khamenei Depicts Zionists And Jews As Rats; Senior Journalist Says Jews And Israel Are Using Witchcraft Against Iran
Introduction Along with the classic antisemitic motifs, particularly Nazi motifs, used by Iranian speakers, such as comparing Jews or Zionists to rats, mice, and other vermin, or statements that Zionists are "humanoid" – like the Nazi designation of Jews as untermenschen, or "subhuman" – Iranian antisemitism is also fed by Shi'ite religious sources, incorporating elements from Islamic-Iranian folklore. Thus, for example, Iranian regime officials claim that the Jews and Zionists, as the enemies of Islam, practice witchcraft and use incantations, and enlist the supernatural to achieve their nefarious ends. These claims are part of the regime's cohesive ideological perspective, aimed at instilling a religious-political narrative according to which Jews and Israelis constitute not only political rivals, but dark, corrupt, and Satanic forces. On July 17, 2025, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei posted on his X account an antisemitic AI-generated graphic depicting Israeli Jewish civilians and soldiers in a stormy sea clinging for dear life to a sinking coffin wrapped in an American flag, as Iranian missiles rain down upon them. A few days previously, Abdollah Ganji, a journalist affiliated with Iran's ideological circles and advisor to Tehran Mayor Ali Reza Zakani posted on his X account an antisemitic message stating that the Jews and Israel are using witchcraft and demons in a war against Iran. Ganji is also former editor in chief of the IRGC-affiliated Javan daily as well as of the Hamshahri Tehran newspaper, which has the widest circulation in all Iran. His post went viral, with over 1.2 million views. Manifestations Of Iranian Antisemitism: Zionists Depicted As Rats And Employing Witchcraft The age-old accusation that the Jews, and by extension the Israelis, use witchcraft and magic powers to achieve their goals, is widespread throughout the Iranian regime and its religious establishment, and continues to reverberate across all sectors in Iran. The most prominent official reiterating this accusation is Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; he validated this in statements on March 22, 2020 when he said: "There are enemies who are demons and enemies who are human – and they are aiding one another."[1] Close associates of Khamenei have claimed that the Jews have supernatural abilities that they are using against Iran. For example, Mehdi Taeb, director of the Ammar Headquarters think tank that advises Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said in 2013 that the Jews are the most powerful sorcerers in the world and are using their powers to attack Iran.[2] That same year, the Reza News website, which is affiliated with the Howz-e Ilmiyya seminary that trains the regime's Shi'ite clerics, published an article stating that the Jews' supernatural powers are passed down from generation to generation with the aim of controlling the world, nature, and even God's decisions.[3] This Iranian Shi'ite narrative provides a profound ideological justification for enmity towards Israel and for the call to destroy it, shaping this as a religious and moral obligation. In this way, demonizing Israel and the Jews becomes an integral part of the struggle led by Iran and the resistance front that present themselves as emissaries of divine justice fighting the forces of evil until the "Zionist entity" is eradicated.[4] Below are translations of the AI-generated graphic posted on X by Khamenei and of the X post by journalist Abdollah Ganji about the Jews and Israel using witchcraft and demons against Iran. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's Post: Israelis As Rats On A Sinking U.S. Coffin Khamenei's July 17, 2025 post on X, of a graphic depicting Israeli Jewish civilians and soldiers as rats holding on to a coffin wrapped in an American flag sinking in a stormy sea as Iranian missiles rain down on them included a quote from a speech by Khamenei the previous day. Khamenei's post ( July 17, 2025) He had said: "When [Iran's] blow is mighty, [it means] that we have entered the war with force. The clear proof of this is that the Zionist regime, the opposing side in the war, was forced to turn to America for help. Had it [the Zionist regime] not broken and fallen to the ground, had it not needed (help), had it been able to defend itself, it would not have appealed to America like that. It appealed to America – that is, it understood that it could not deal with the Islamic Republic [of Iran]. And also in the matter of America – it was the same. Even when America attacked, our retaliatory blow struck it in a very sensitive [place]..."[5] Journalist Abdollah Ganji: "Several Sheets Of Paper Were Found In The Streets Of Tehran – They Were Witchcraft With Jewish Symbols" Ganji wrote on X on July 9, 2025: "A strange phenomenon! After the recent war, several sheets of paper were found in the streets of Tehran – they were witchcraft with Jewish symbols. "Also, in the first year of the Gaza war, a report was leaked about [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's meeting with mysticism experts. "A few years ago, Supreme Leader [Khamenei] said that hostile countries and Western and Hebrew intelligence services are using the occult and demons for espionage purposes."[6] July 9, 2025 * Ayelet Savyon is Director of the MEMRI Iran Media Project; N. Katirachi is a Research Fellow at MEMRI.
Reuters
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Drones attack Iraqi Kurdistan oilfields for fourth day
BAGHDAD, July 17 (Reuters) - Drones struck oilfields in Iraqi Kurdistan on Thursday, with officials pointing to Iran-backed militias as the likely source of attacks this week that have slashed the region's oil output by more than half. These are the first such attacks on oilfields in the region and coincide with the first in seven months on shipping in the Red Sea by Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen. Thursday's strike hit an oilfield operated by Norway's DNO ( opens new tab in Tawke, in the Zakho area, the region's counter-terrorism service said. It was the week's second strike on a site operated by DNO, which operates the Tawke and Peshkabour oilfields in the Zakho area that borders Turkey. DNO did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment. No group has claimed responsibility for four consecutive days of attacks, but security officials told Reuters the drones came from areas controlled by Iran-backed militias. No casualties have been reported but oil output in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has been slashed by 140,000 to 150,000 barrels per day (bpd), two energy officials said. That is over half the region's normal output of about 280,000 bpd. Iran backs militant groups that are part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a collection of about 10 hardline Shi'ite armed factions that command about 50,000 fighters and arsenals. They have claimed responsibility for dozens of missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the Gaza war erupted in 2023. U.S.-based Hunt Oil operates the Ain Sifni oilfield in the Dohuk region, which was attacked on Wednesday. Hunt Oil said no workers were injured but that it had shut down its facilities to assess damage.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Lack of religious directive': Why didn't Hezbollah join Iran in the war against Israel?
Expert Tal Beeri discussed how it is unknown why the religious directive had not been given, but if it were, Hezbollah would have joined the war against Israel on Iran's side. Hezbollah refrained from entering the war between Israel and Iran on Iran's side due to a lack of religious directive, expert Tal Beeri said. Beeri is the head of the Research Department at the Alma Center for the Study of Security Challenges in the North. He has published a detailed analysis titled 'Why Didn't Hezbollah Join Iran in the War against Israel?' In it, the Middle East expert challenged prevailing explanations for Hezbollah's decision to refrain from entering the war on Iran's side and also discussed the perceived gap between Hezbollah's weakness and the actual reality. Beeri noted: 'There is a significant gap between the existing portrayal of Hezbollah's supposed weakness and the actual reality.' Beeri discussed the conflict that unfolded between June 13 and June 24, 2025 — 'Operation Rising Lion' — during which Israel engaged Iran directly. He argued that, contrary to common belief, Hezbollah did not join the fighting not due to deterrence or domestic pressures, but for a singular reason: 'It did not receive a religious directive.' He emphasized, 'Throughout the war against Iran, from June 13 to June 24, 2025, Hezbollah refrained from joining the fighting alongside Iran against Israel. This was the case even as Israel continued its aggressive 'mowing the grass' strategy against Hezbollah's activities in Lebanon, targeting the group's infrastructure and eliminating operatives.' Beeri outlines the two most common explanations for Hezbollah's restraint: Firstly, internal Lebanese pressure suggests that Hezbollah's influence is weakening due to social, political, and economic challenges in Lebanon. Secondly, external deterrence by Israel - asserting that Hezbollah is held back by Israeli military pressure and the consequences of past confrontations. However, Beeri found both arguments insufficient: 'The internal aspect certainly exists,' he conceded. 'But in our understanding, the argument that leans on this overestimates its influence on Hezbollah's status and decision-making. There is a wide gap between the current narrative of Hezbollah's alleged weakness and the actual situation.' Hezbollah's civilian support structure — referred to as the Resistance Society — remains intact, Beeri explains. The group's Shi'ite base, described as a 'captive audience,' continues to benefit from a robust infrastructure operated by Hezbollah's Executive Council, functioning in parallel to the deteriorating Lebanese state. Beeri acknowledged: 'There are quite a few financial difficulties in supporting civilian reconstruction,' but insisted the infrastructure still operates. 'Hezbollah can only be meaningfully affected by pressure from its Shi'ite base. Is that pressure currently significant? The answer is no, mainly because of the 'captive audience' principle.' He warned against misreading the group's current stance: 'The claim that Hezbollah is deterred creates a dangerous illusion and takes us back to the days before October 7, 2023.' To reinforce his argument, Beeri cited Ibrahim Al-Amin, editor-in-chief of Al-Akhbar, Hezbollah's main media outlet. A week before the ceasefire on November 27, 2024, Al-Amin wrote: 'The current round [Hezbollah's fighting against Israel that began on October 8, 2023] is just another phase in the war against Israel, which must be destroyed. Hezbollah will work to rebuild its capabilities and regain strength…' Beeri explained: 'There is no peace. There are no compromises. There is only one ideology — endless armed resistance. Hezbollah's core — armed resistance — is not a means but an identity. Hezbollah is here to stay.' He continued: 'The word 'deterred' doesn't exist in the vocabulary of an extremist ideological–religious organization like Hezbollah (or Hamas). Decisions about launching military or terrorist operations are based on religious directives. Any relevant interest (in this case, rehabilitation) is only a supporting factor in the decision-making process.' According to Beeri, 'No religious directive was issued to Hezbollah to join Iran in the war against Israel. While there were reportedly Iranian pressures on Hezbollah at the operational–military level, the religious directive never came. It did not come from the Wilayat al-Faqih — that is, neither Iran's Supreme Leader nor Hezbollah's current leader issued such a command.' He argued that Hezbollah's need to rebuild — especially militarily — reinforced its choice to avoid escalation: 'Hezbollah needs time. Hezbollah needs 'reconstruction quiet.' Therefore, its interest was to avoid a major escalation with Israel that could severely undermine its rebuilding efforts.' Hezbollah, Beeri noted, has factored the Israeli strategy of 'mowing the grass' into its current risk calculus: 'The current state of Israeli 'mowing the grass' is one that Hezbollah can absorb while still managing reasonable reconstruction.' 'We don't know why the religious directive didn't come or whether it was even considered. But if it had come, Hezbollah would have joined the war alongside Iran. In that case, the popular claims of internal Lebanese pressure or deterrence would have collapsed.' In conclusion, Beeri stressed that Israel has inflicted significant damage to Hezbollah's military capabilities — but not destroyed them. Despite mounting challenges, which could worsen in the post-Iran war period, Hezbollah's efforts to rebuild and rearm are well underway. He suggested existing resources may now be directed more toward military restoration, even at the expense of civilian services to its base, which remains a 'captive audience.' Beeri concluded, 'Hezbollah's various units are rebuilding and adjusting their operational plans, 'rerouting,' restoring capabilities and even preparing infrastructure for terrorist activity against Israel — both within Lebanon and beyond. In our assessment, Hezbollah's relevant units are capable of launching operations against Israel at any given moment.' 'Given the command — the religious directive — Hezbollah could have joined the war alongside Iran, both in terms of arsenal redundancy and operational–military capacity.'
Memri
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Mohammed Reza Naqdi, IRGC Deputy Commander For Coordination: 'If Any Grand Ayatollah Is Harmed, No American Will Leave The Region Alive'
In a June 28, 2025 interview with the Iranian broadcasting authority, Mohammed Reza Naqdi, IRGC deputy commander for coordination, warned that if there is any harm to, or attempt to harm, any Iranian grand ayatollah, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, no American will leave the region alive. He added that all American "diplomats, military personnel, officials, and oil workers" in the region will be either killed or captured, and warned that even a mere threat would not go unanswered. He also called U.S. President Donald Trump "stupid and moronic." Naqdi referred to statements by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the supreme Shi'ite authority and director of the Howza Al-Ilmiyya seminary in Najaf, Iraq, where he lives. Sistani had said on June 19, 2025 that any threat of assassination against the supreme religious and political leadership of Iran would have serious consequences for the entire region, including total loss of control and extensive chaos. This, Sistani said, would increase the suffering of the peoples of the region and gravely endanger the interests of all.[1] However, it is important to note that Sistani's statements were not a fatwa, which is binding, and also that they included no mention of either President Trump or the U.S. Senior Iranian officials are choosing to harness Sistani's words for their own purposes, as if he had indeed issued a fatwa. This is apparently so that Shi'ites in Iraq or elsewhere will take action against Americans in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East – as Iranian officials refrain from mentioning the fatwas against Trump issued by senior Iranian grand ayatollahs.[2] Naqdi (Source: Sepahnews, Iran, June 28m ,2025) It must also be clarified that neither President Trump nor any other American official has ever issued a direct threat to Shi'ite grand ayatollahs or against Khamenei, as Iran's supreme leader – that is, against neither religious nor political figures. Trump himself has said that he prevented an initiative to assassinate Khamenei. Also notable is that as of late June, Iranian ayatollahs and senior officials have issued fatwas stating that Trump's punishment is the same as that for a muhareb – an enemy of God and Islam who must be put to death.[3] The following are translated excerpts of Naqdi's statements in his June 28, 2025 interview: Saying that "Ayatollah Sistani published a statement in response to [Trump's] threats," Naqdi called President Trump "stupid and moronic," and said: "Because of his idiocy, Donald Trump has not grasped the meaning of the message of Grand Ayatollah Sistani, and he [Trump] has continued to reiterate his moronic threats." "I am conveying to him the exact meaning of this [Sistani's] message: Oh Donald Trump, hear and understand this: If any harm, even the smallest, comes to one of the Shi'ite grand juristprudents [ayatollahs], whether [the attempt] is successful or not, no American representative will leave the region alive, and all the [American] diplomats, military personnel, officials, and oil workers will be captured if they are not killed. A repeat of these moronic threats, even if they are not accompanied by [actual] deeds, will not go unanswered. Shut your mouth and sit down in your place, you rude person."[4] To view more excerpts from Naqdi's interview on MEMRI TV, click here or below:
Memri
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Hamas Member In Unusual Article: Iran And The Resistance Axis Sustained A Heavy Blow In The War; We Must Act To End The Hostilities In Gaza
Following the announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 24, 2025, Ibrahim Al-Madhoun, a member of the national relations department of the Hamas movement abroad, published an unusual article in which he admitted that the unity of the resistance axis – led by Iran and encompassing Hamas, Hizbullah, the Houthis and other Shi'ite militias in the region – has been severely damaged. Madhoun called on Hamas to take "courageous decisions" and advance political measures to put an end to the war in Gaza. In the article, which was posted on Al-Madhoun's social media accounts and on Palestinian and Arab news sites, he tried to outline the power-balances after the Israel-Iran war. In contrast to the Iranian narrative about an absolute victory for Iran, he wrote that Israel had dealt "a severe and significant blow to Iran's nuclear program, which will delay it for decades," and called this an important strategic achievement for Israel. At the same time, he argued that Israel had failed to achieve an absolute victory, because it too sustained severe damage and because Iran was not "directly defeated." He assessed that the Iranian regime will survive and will not give up its nuclear program, but will instead gain strength in preparation for the next confrontation. Moreover, it will "launch a stronger regional Iranian initiative" instead of the resistance axis, "albeit in a different style and through milder and more flexible means." Al-Madhoun added that the U.S. was the biggest winner in this war, since it managed to curb the ambitions of both sides and to prevent the war from escalating and spreading to other fronts. Ibrahim Al-Madhoun (Image: The following are translated excerpts from Al-Madhoun's article: "If the war [indeed] stops now, in accordance with Trump's vision, Iran may not be at its best, but it will emerge [from the war] without having been directly defeated, and then there will be no possibility of pronouncing an absolute loser or winner. Iran will continue to maintain its regime and will refuse to halt its nuclear program. I fact, it will work to rehabilitate itself, address its security vulnerabilities and rebuild its defense infrastructure. [Moreover,] this confrontation will provide it with experience and resilience in any future conflict, and the world will see it as a country that managed to stand firm against Israel and the U.S…, which will open new horizons for strengthening its international relations, especially with China and Russia. 'At the same time, Iran will pay a political and military price [for this war], and will not be able to restore the former unity of the 'resistance axis.' It will be forced to rearrange its priorities and revise its policies, yet it will have a real opportunity to launch a stronger regional Iranian initiative [instead of the resistance axis], albeit in a different style and through milder and more flexible means. "As for Israel, it did not achieve a complete victory, but it did deal a severe and significant blow to Iran's nuclear program, which will delay it for decades. This is an extremely important strategic achievement. Due to this blow, Iran will be preoccupied for decades with rebuilding [its nuclear program], while the Israeli sword will remain hanging over its head, in full coordination with Washington. But Israel, [too], did not emerge from this confrontation without losses. It sustained blows unlike any it had experienced before, and the missiles reached deep into its territory. Moreover, it will no longer be able to impose new equations on the Middle East as it wishes. On the contrary, following this confrontation, it may enter a phase of being constrained [by the U.S.]. "At present, it appears that the U.S. is the biggest winner of this campaign, for it managed to contain Iran and force it to rethink its considerations without needing to topple its regime. It also sent a clear message to Israel, that the ceiling of its ambitions is determined by Washington and must not be exceeded. Additionally, it maintained the stability of the Gulf and prevented the eruption of additional fronts that would have complicated the regional scene. "As for Gaza, it is the most complex element in this scene... Now that this war [between Iran and Israel] has ended, there will be a real opportunity to end the aggression against Gaza… This is where the responsibility of the Palestinian political leadership and the [Palestinian] factions comes in. The time has come for [national] unity... and for [everyone] to come together under one roof: Fatah, Hamas, [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine [PFLP], and all the national factions. We need deep and realistic political thinking in order to leverage Iran's position – especially in light of its continued steadfastness [in the face of Israel and the U.S.] – and strengthen our ties with our Arab and Islamic depth. We need a wise political initiative that preserves our principles, saves our people from the current massacre [in Gaza], and opens a new horizon for reorganizing our internal affairs, with the participation of all. This moment demands courageous decisions and thinking outside the traditional box, in order to create a real opportunity to protect Palestinian lives, safeguard the [national] cause and give it renewed hope."[1]
