'Shame on the Islamic Republic': Jewish groups mourn Iranian Jew

(JNS) — Jewish groups mourned the execution of Arvin Netanel Ghahremani, 20, in Iran on Monday and condemned the Islamic Republic for its decision to kill the young Jew, who allegedly killed a man in self-defense.

“His life ended under a system that allowed discrimination and cruelty to guide his fate. Shame on the Islamic Republic of Iran,” stated the World Jewish Congress. “Our condolences are with his family through this tragedy and utter lack of justice.”

Ghahremani “was attacked with a knife by a non-Jewish man to whom he had loaned money. The other man was killed,” stated the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, an agency of the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA. 

CIJA noted that in line with Iranian law, which allows for a “blood money” agreement with the family of the deceased, the Jewish community offered to fund a school or mosque and name it for the man who was killed.

“Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps terrorists reportedly pressured the victim’s family not to accept a financial settlement to prevent the execution,” wrote Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran. “No surprise in timing in the executions here of Jamshid Sharmahd and now Ghahremani as the regime wants to send a message at home that it is still in control despite its losses against Israel.”

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote that the execution was “politically motivated” and “reminds us that the regime has one primary domestic industry—repression, especially of minority communities—and one primary foreign export—antisemitism.”

“Anyone who truly cares about human rights and freedom should be raising their voice on all platforms and engaging all international organizations against the Iranian regime,” Greenblatt stated.

“The inhumane execution of Arvin Ghahremani by the criminal Iranian regime is another indication of its ruthless nature,” wrote Tammy Rahamimoff-Honig, an Israeli diplomat. “This regime is a global menace. Now is the time to stop it.”

The Jewish Policy Center called on God to “avenge him and liberate the people of Iran from their tyranny.”

Monday also marked the 45th anniversary of the day, on Nov. 4, 1979, that followers of Ayatollah Khomeini took over the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held American diplomats hostage for 444 days.

“We will never forget both the service of the brave American diplomats held in Tehran and the abhorrent treatment that they were subjected to by the Iranian regime,” stated Matthew Miller, the U.S. State Department spokesman.

Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) wrote that by Inauguration Day, “the Americans taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7 will have been held longer than those taken in the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.”