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How Ancient Is the Jewish Presence in Iran?
The Jewish presence in Iran is among the oldest continuous Jewish communities in the world, with roots that historians trace back more than two millennia.Over the centuries, Jewish communities developed in various parts of the Iranian plateau, including cities such as Hamadan, Shiraz, Isfahan, and Tehran. These communities participated in trade, scholarship, and local cultural life across different Persian dynasties and empires.
Persian Jewish history is intertwined with the broader history of the region. Jewish communities lived under the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanian empires, as well as under later Islamic dynasties that ruled the region.
The deep historical roots of Jews in Iran mean that the community is often described not simply as a diaspora population but as an indigenous part of Iran’s historical and cultural landscape.
Even as political systems changed, Jewish communities remained embedded in local societies, developing Persian-Jewish cultural traditions and religious institutions that endured for centuries.


