Marzieh Afkhm, spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has rejected claims of 'anti-Jewish sentiment among Iranian leaders and expansionism against Gulf countries,' accusing U.S. President Barack Obama of 'promoting Iranophobia.' According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), on Saturday, June 2, Ms. Afkhm stated that Mr. Obama 'instead of addressing the reprehensible phenomenon of Islamophobia and the actions of some governments against Muslims or the daily killings of Muslims by some of its allies or Takfiri terrorists, has completely misdirected the sources of security threats in the region.' Barack Obama, in a recent interview with The Atlantic, described Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, as 'anti-Jewish,' but also noted that this trait does not impede Khamenei's 'other considerations,' including 'strategic decisions to remain in power.' However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson refuted this, asserting that the Islamic Republic 'holds great respect for all divine religions and their followers, including Jews and Judaism.' The spokesperson added that the Islamic Republic's 'anti-Zionist policies' 'are related to the occupation, widespread crimes, and state terrorism of that regime and have no connection to Judaism and its followers.' Ms. Afkhm's statements come at a time when even the Islamic Republic's constitution does not mention a religion called 'Judaism,' and Jews in Iran are referred to as 'Kelim.' 'Kelim-Allah,' meaning 'one whom God has spoken to,' is a title given by many Muslims to Moses, the most important prophet of Judaism. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the establishment of the state of Israel to be 'illegitimate' and 'illegal,' referring to it with terms such as 'Zionist regime.' Ali Khamenei has emphasized that 'the wicked tree of Israel will undoubtedly be destroyed.'
Afkhm: The Islamic Republic is not anti-Jewish; Obama is promoting Iranophobia
Marzieh Afkhm, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, has defended Iran against accusations of anti-Jewish sentiment made by Barack Obama, who recently labeled Khamenei as anti-Jewish. This exchange highlights ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, particularly regarding perceptions of anti-Semitism and regional security threats.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Marzieh Afkhm defended Iran against accusations of anti-Jewish sentiment made by Barack Obama, who labeled Khamenei as anti-Jewish. This exchange underscores the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran regarding perceptions of anti-Semitism and regional security threats.
- Afkhm claims Iran respects all divine religions, including Judaism, and that its anti-Zionist stance is political, not religious.
- Obama's remarks were made during an interview where he discussed Khamenei's views and strategic decisions.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has a complex relationship with Judaism and Israel, often conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Jewish sentiment. The U.S. has historically viewed Iran as a significant threat in the region.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%