Jewish population in Iran

The Jewish population in Iran has significantly declined over the past several decades, though it remains one of the largest Jewish communities in the Middle East outside of Israel. Historically, the population peaked at around 100,000 to 150,000 in 1948, during the establishment of the State of Israel^[1][2][3]. Prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, there were still approximately 80,000 to 100,000 Jews living in Iran, with major concentrations in Tehran, Shiraz, Kermanshah, and Isfahan^[1][2][4].

Following the Islamic Revolution, a large wave of emigration occurred due to political and social changes, with about 60,000 Jews leaving Iran in the aftermath. Of these, 35,000 went to the United States, 20,000 to Israel, and 5,000 to Europe^[1]. By the mid- to late 1980s, estimates of the Jewish population in Iran ranged between 20,000 and 60,000, though some figures were considered inflated^[1][2]. From the mid-1990s onward, estimates became more consistent, with many sources citing around 25,000 Jews remaining in Iran during the 2000s^[1][3].

More recent data, however, indicates a further decline. According to a 2012 Iranian census, the Jewish population was 8,756, and by 2016, it was reported as 9,826^[1][2]. In 2019, demographer Sergio DellaPergola estimated the population at 8,300, a figure supported by multiple sources^[1][5]. As of 2021, the number was reported to be around 8,500, and in 2023, the Jewish Virtual Library estimated it at 9,300^[1][3]. Some sources and Iranian officials occasionally cite higher numbers, ranging from 12,000 to 20,000, though these are often viewed as exaggerated by external analysts^[4][6][7].

Despite the decline, Iran's Jewish community is officially recognized as a religious minority under the Iranian constitution, with legal protections and a reserved seat in parliament. The community maintains cultural and religious institutions, including synagogues, schools, kosher facilities, and a Jewish hospital in Tehran^[8][3][6]. Today, most Jews in Iran reside in urban centers like Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz, and they continue to express a strong sense of Iranian national identity alongside their Jewish heritage^[8][6].

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• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Jews        
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Iran    
• https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jews-of-iran    
• https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/columnist/367294/what-will-become-of-the-jews-of-iran-part-one/  
• https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-730103 
• https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/world/inside-iran/2018/08/29/iran-jewish-population-islamic-state/886790002/   
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/despite-tension-between-iran-and-israel-irans-jewish-minority-feels-at-home 
• https://www.jns.org/why-do-jews-still-live-in-iran/