Rabbi Yehuda Gerami, chief rabbi of the Iranian Jewish community, was asked to give an interview to the official television station of the regime in Tehran and express his views on Israel.
The interview took place during the last Friday of Ramadan, known as Al-Quds Day, which is traditionally devoted to anti-Israeli incitement.
"We Iranian Jews want to send this message to Zionists and primarily to [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu. Know that you Zionists do not represent Judaism and do not represent the Jewish people. You represent only the idea of a political movement whose ideas and values run counter to the ideas and values of our sacred teachings and Jewish religion,” Rabbi Gerami said.
The Jewish community in Iran, numbering about 8,000, lives in the country in the shadow of fear of harassment or accusations of espionage. Its leaders are constantly trying to differentiate between Judaism and Zionism.
While Iranian leaders regularly call for Israel’s destruction, the Jewish community there is on good terms with the authorities.