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Meet the Iranians supporting Israel Citizens of the Islamic republic weren't surprised by October 7

Lily Moo in London (See Li/Picture Capital/Alamy Live News)

Lily Moo in London (See Li/Picture Capital/Alamy Live News)


December 11, 2023   5 mins

Lily Moo is used to death threats: in the past 14 months, 19 against her have been reported to the police. An Iranian in London, she has been leading Woman, Life, Freedom marches in her adopted home — calling for a feminist revolution in the Islamic republic — for more than a year. But right now, she is in hiding. After her defiant speech at the pro-Israel vigil earlier this month went viral, a man came up to her in the street and told her that, now she was speaking up for Jewish people, killing her would be justified within Islam. “He said my blood was halal which means they believe they have divine permission to take my life,” she tell me. “My sin is Zionism.”

Lily Moo is a pseudonym; she is too worried to use her real name. When she leaves the house, she wears a disguise. The police have been advising her about how to stay safe. Most recently, she attended a joint Jewish and Iranian event for peace. Since then, she has been “in a kind of prison”.

“It is really horrible to be in London and having to hide from extremist Islamic groups,” she says. “It feels like it was in the days before my family left Iran, when women couldn’t leave the house. I knew the Iranian secret services were already keeping an eye on me — making the odd threat.” But now, other Islamic groups seem to be watching her, which “makes it twice as scary”.

Lily Moo is not the only Iranian who is in danger for speaking up for Israel. In Iran itself, supporters of Israel communicate using secret social-media accounts because they know others have been “vanished” for doing the same. Closer to home, another dissident, Vahid Beheshti, has been protesting outside the Foreign Office for 10 months, in an effort to get the British government to prescribe the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. Recently, he started flying an Israeli flag alongside his Persian one. One Saturday, as a pro-Palestinian demonstration marched past, someone took his Israeli flag — and as he gave chase he was warned he would be beheaded. The man who is alleged to have made the threat was later arrested by police and found to have a knife on him.

The danger is very real. Last year, MI5 foiled at least 10 potential IRGC plots to kidnap or kill people in Britain. In February, the dissident Persian language satellite station Iran International moved from London to Washington because of threats to its staff.

Both Lily and Vahid are understandably frightened, but determined to keep speaking out at pro-Israel events. “It is a duty,” says Lily Moo, whose family left Iran when she was 13, as the growing power of the “morality police” became suffocating. “The danger people are facing from Iran and its proxies… is not just about Iranian people, it is not just about Israel: it is about all of us.”

“They want to kill everyone who is a non-believer,” adds Vahid, who escaped Iran 24 years ago. “They believe they will go to heaven for doing it. That is their mentality.” He is dedicated to raising awareness of the brutality of the IRGC and its proxies, which include Hamas and Hezbollah. Citing how Iran and Hezbollah are accused of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish Centre in Argentina that killed 85 people, he says the brutality of the events of October 7 did not surprise him. “In Iran girls and boys are raped too, people are kidnapped or go ‘missing’ all the time. Torture is one of their tools; they cut off the fingers of people. In the past year alone more than 80 children under the age of 17 have been shot dead.”

Last September, a young Kurdish Iranian woman, Jina Mahsa Amini, was murdered by police for not wearing her hijab correctly. It sparked a wave of Woman, Love, Freedom protests. Since they began, hundreds if not thousands have been shot or arrested. A year ago, Iranian human rights organisation HRANA documented 520 people who had been killed in the first 82 days of the demonstrations — Vahid says he believes the number is now closer to 2,000 people. He adds: “While they say they have arrested 20,000, the true number is closer to 70-80,000.” Even after they are released, Vahid says, some prisoners commit suicide, having experienced such severe torture.

The alliance between Iranian dissidents and Israel is partly a case of my enemy’s enemy is my friend. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has Israel-hate at the centre of his world view. His regime funds Hamas as well as Hezbollah, which is threatening war on the Lebanese front, and the Houthis, who have been firing missiles at Israel from Yemen in recent weeks. Iranians are taught to chant “death to Israel” while still at school.

It makes sense that Iranians who object to the Ayatollah’s increasingly vicious crackdown on free speech would stand with the people he hates most. But there is so much more to it than that. Jews and Iranians have ties going back centuries, to before the birth of either Mohammed or Jesus. The Persian King known as Cyrus the Great is celebrated for freeing his kingdom’s Jewish slaves and returning them to Jerusalem in 539BCE — but many Jews stayed in the area.

In 1948, the year that Israel was established, there were 150,000 Jews living in Iran. It was one of the few countries in the Middle East not to throw out all its Jews. But as tensions between Islamicists and the more tolerant Shah loyalists grew throughout the Seventies, Jews started to leave. Then came the 1979 revolution, in which Ayatollah Khomeini took over, triggering a mass exodus of Jews. Today, there are just 10,000 in the country.

The longing Persian Jews retain for their former home is depicted brilliantly in the recent Israeli-American television show Tehran, starring the Iranian-Israeli actress and singer Liraz Charhi. Her family fled Iran in the Seventies, after being forced to read the Koran. But long before October 7, Liraz discovered that she can speak to people in the country she has never been allowed to visit. (Iran, like many other Middle Eastern countries, bans people with Israeli passports.) After falling in love with Persian music, she decided to write her first album in Farsi. “Many people thought I was mad,” she tells me. But after its release in 2018, it became a huge hit in Iran. “An Iranian DJ started to play my music and people would send me videos of them taking their veils off and dancing.” Her most recent album was secretly made in Turkey with Iranian musicians who had to remain nameless for their safety.

When Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, and five members of Liraz’s husband’s family were killed at Kibbutz Be’eri, she was inundated with messages from new Iranian friends. “Last year we suffocated from this madness when Jina Amini and the others were murdered in cold blood in our homeland,” reads one. Another says: “99% of Iranians are supporting Israel and all of your people in this difficult moment. We stand with you.” Footage has come out of Iran showing students deliberately avoiding walking over Israeli and American flags painted outside their university. Shortly after Hamas’s massacre, a few Iranians brandishing Palestinian flags at a game in Tehran were met with overwhelming resistance from a large crowd of other fans.

In the West, we tend to view the war over Gaza as part of a conflict that started in 1948; in the Middle East, people understand that the roots go much deeper and spread much wider. So, the Iranians who support Israel are not only calling for revolution in their own nation; they are supporting an ally against an evil that threatens the entire world.

“The people of Israel and Iran share the same enemies and we have no choice but to fight together,” says Vahid. But “this isn’t just about us in the Middle East but an ideology that everyone in the West needs to fight.” It is a battle against a fundamentalist ideology, and for freedom and democracy. “We need Israel to win, to beat Hamas,” says Vahid, “because the arms of the Iranian octopus need to be chopped off.”


Nicole Lampert is a journalist based in London.

nicolelampert

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Samuel Ross
Samuel Ross
11 months ago

My sincere thanks to these brave people from Iran. But ‘thanks’ is too small and shabby a word for your words and sacrifice. May God bless you and yours for your good deeds.

Last edited 11 months ago by Samuel Ross
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey
11 months ago
Reply to  Samuel Ross

At last, the reality is explained by someone so closely involved. Israel is the ‘Forlorn Hope*’ in the war Islam is waging on EVERYONE else. It isn’t Israeli’s who bomb our trains, buses and kill young girls at pop concerts in Manchester.

Forlorn Hope as in the ‘First troop storming the citadel’

starkbreath
starkbreath
11 months ago

Contrast these people’s conviction and courage with the rank spinelessness of those in the US and UK who fear provoking the woke mob. Or those who are now supporting Hamas and Bin Laden. What empty, piss poor excuses for human beings they are.

Caradog Wiliams
Caradog Wiliams
11 months ago
Reply to  starkbreath

A very brave thing to say Mr Starkbreath.

starkbreath
starkbreath
10 months ago

Not sure if you’re being sarcastic or not.

Richard Craven
Richard Craven
11 months ago
Reply to  starkbreath

I’m rather more outspoken than most against the evil that is wokery. Even so, we have to recognise that the livelihoods of many very sadly depend on appeasing the woke.

Darwin K Godwin
Darwin K Godwin
11 months ago

It really is an Enlightened Judeo-Christian struggle against barbarism. I’ve met strong voices from Evin prison. Solitary confinement burned the fearful tolerance of tyranny from their hearts. The Iranian regime truly molds its own worst enemies. It will not stand.

Caradog Wiliams
Caradog Wiliams
11 months ago

Your post is only relevant if you add a timescale. “It will not stand.” is totally meaningless. This Judeo-Christian struggle has been going for a thousand years so far. What will stop it?

UnHerd Reader
UnHerd Reader
15 days ago

Judeo-Christian struggle ?? Islam had nothing to do with Nazi coldblooded mass slaughter of Jews. And Muslims have welcomed Jews fleeing persecution from Christian Europe

Vijay Kant
Vijay Kant
11 months ago

I always wondered, what is radicalising young muslims in the West? Are they a product of radical mullahs? If so, why aren’t authorities arresting these radicals for disturbing peace? Are sermons of hate allowed under free speech?

Last edited 11 months ago by Vijay Kant
Caradog Wiliams
Caradog Wiliams
11 months ago
Reply to  Vijay Kant

This is a really good question, one that I think about a lot. I don’t think there could be an easy answer.
In theory (and unlike most religions) you can only read the Koran and other holy literature if you read it in its original Arabic. Today, spoken Arabic has changed so much that very few can read the old version – the Imams act as translators, so that the message to each citizen is from his local Imam and not from the book. You can see how this could be distorted.
Back in the 1520s you could only read the Bible in Latin and almost nobody could read Latin, except the priests. (This was the time when the priests sold indulgences to their flock to speed the way into heaven – corrupt). Martin Luther came along, and others less famous, and the Bible was translated into the vernacular so that everyone could read it.
One of the big ‘issues’ between Islam and other religions is the role of women. Imagine a man who is totally in control of his family until the women want to have an opinion, as in the west – the stress in that situation would give anyone mental problems.

laurence scaduto
laurence scaduto
11 months ago
Reply to  Vijay Kant

Yes. Sermons of hate are allowed under free speech; ay least, here in the US. But we never had to deal with something like fundamentalist Islam before.

Doug Israel
Doug Israel
11 months ago

In Britain they arrest people for saying hateful things.

Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey
11 months ago
Reply to  Doug Israel

No they don’t. They arrest people for saying hateful things the Wokerati think hateful. OR when the public outcry is so great they can’t not arrest an Islamic preacher etc.
https://twitter.com/jakewsimons/status/1731291648364072995

Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence
11 months ago
Reply to  Vijay Kant

I’d say the wine-swilling cultural Muslim’s happy retreat into Idpol and jihad as decolonial politics to appease the biopower of the mullah and the blm activist

Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence
11 months ago
Reply to  Vijay Kant

I’d say the wine-swilling cultural Muslim’s happy retreat into Idpol and jihad as decolonial politics, done not with conviction or will but rather to appease the biopower of the mullah and the blm activist

Gayle Rosenthal
Gayle Rosenthal
9 months ago
Reply to  Vijay Kant

Actually this is a very easy question. Just read the Quran. It sanctifies and encourages violence against Jews and other Kafirs. This makes it a political ideology and not a religion. It must be outlawed by the governments but apparently there is no backbone to do this.
If it isn’t done soon, there will be a bloodbath.

UnHerd Reader
UnHerd Reader
15 days ago

Have you read the Old Testament?

Vicky Ladizhinskaya
Vicky Ladizhinskaya
10 months ago

I been to six events since 7/10 for release of Israeli hostages and the rally against Antisemitism. There was strong Iranian presence in all, which surprised and heartened me as a Jew with family and friends in Israel, for whom this was also an eye opener.

These people are insanely brave and get very little support in their struggle against the oppressive and terrorist supporting regime in Iran. I hope that Jews around the world will repay them in equal solidarity.

Lisa U
Lisa U
11 months ago

Footage of Iranian students “deliberately avoiding walking over Israeli and American flags” is from 12 January 2020. Just open the link and look (https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-middle-east-51084619). Nothing whatsoever to do with recent events. If Unherd/Nicole Lampert do not admit the error (say nothing or just delete the link without saying anything), this gives me all I need to know about continuing my new subscription.

Last edited 11 months ago by Lisa U
Paul Tobin
Paul Tobin
11 months ago
Reply to  Lisa U

I’m aware of the footage that you refer to (in a Tehran university I think), however I have seen other footage recently about the football match and also other footage of youngsters refusing to condemn Israel.
The overthrow of the evil regime is Iran is the only route that I can see for peace in the middle east

Rick Frazier
Rick Frazier
11 months ago

“Today, there are just 10,000 in the country.” I’ve seen several different estimates for the numer of Jews still living in Iran — ranging from 8500 to about 15,000. Regardless, the fact it isn’t zero has always baffled me. Perhaps they had good reasons for staying put that I will never fully appreciate or understand. But it’s difficult to imagine any of them are now thinking it was a wise decision.

glyn harries
glyn harries
11 months ago
Reply to  Rick Frazier

Iran actually has, consitutionally, post-79, a reserved Jewish seat in it’s Parliament.

Nathan Ngumi
Nathan Ngumi
11 months ago

Strange bedfellows indeed!

Gayle Rosenthal
Gayle Rosenthal
9 months ago

Masha Amini was murdered for being Kurdish. In Iran only Arabic or Persian names are allowed. Her Kurdish name was not recognized. This is how Islam stamps out cultures – it mandates Arabic. Once “Iranians” accept this, they accept the hijab and all that goes with it.
Yes, gratitude for Lily Moo’s courage is the correct emotion. But also, there should be rage at the weak and cowardly UK leaders who do not publically and loudly stand up and speak against the problem.. The PROBLEM IS ISLAM. The Muslims who do so much as look cross-eyed at Lily Moo should be deported immediately.
Western governments need to define Islam for what it is – a political ideology that is incompatible with democracy. Over half of the precepts of Islam are political in nature …. that is …. designed to regulate the behaviour of the kafir. Lily Moo is being oppressed by Islam because the UK leaders are allowing Islam to deny her the freedom to speak, and they would like to deprive her of her very life.
Leaders in the West MUST protect it from Islam. Define it and forbid it. Kick out the adherents who believe that killing is the way to be a good Muslim. Islam needs reform but in the words of Imam Tawhidi, Islam cannot be reformed. He believes the Muslim community can be reformed. I do not agree with him, however in order to test this theory, the UK governments MUST outlaw political Islam.

Dennis Learad
Dennis Learad
8 months ago

let her go and spend the weekend in GAZA or the West Bank lets then see her support for Israel?? a traitor to her country and a fool who has not grasped the reality of the Apartheid Zionist Israel State. The fool does not realise for her to live in Israel and try to be a resident or citizen she would need 1 serious wish from the Genie in the lamp!!

Juan Manuel Pérez Porrúa
Juan Manuel Pérez Porrúa
11 months ago

With friends like the green-haired “Lily Moo”, who needs enemies? Seriously, those degenerates look more like the far-left anti-Netanyahu protesters from a few months ago than serious, decent persons.

Kip Calderara
Kip Calderara
11 months ago

Let’s hear it from the rednecks…

Michael Layman
Michael Layman
11 months ago

So your opinion is based on hair color, not ideology, human rights or bravery?

Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey
11 months ago

Appearances can be deceptive, hence the biblical phrase
“by their fruits shall you know them.”
Lily Moo appears to bear very good fruit if she is anti-Iranian Mullah.