Iranian Regime's Insatiable Drive to Wipe Out Jews, Christians, Minorities: World Turns a Blind Eye

by Majid Rafizadeh
July 18, 2026 at 5:00 am

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22708/iran-regime-drive-to-wipe-out-jews-christians

• The Islamic Republic of Iran, since its 1979 Islamic Revolution, has operated as a terrorist state, using the IRGC and proxies such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis to advance its aims.

• No diplomatic deal or agreement has ever permanently halted these activities: the regime views such pacts as temporary opportunities for enrichment and rearmament.

• One rarely sees robust UN condemnations or widespread mainstream media outrage when Iranian attacks and plots against synagogues are carried out or disrupted. Yet, when Israel defends its citizens against attacks by Iran backed Hezbollah, the volume of criticism and calls for restraint are immediate and intense. This double standard emboldens terrorists and isolates the one democracy in the region, which actively counters a threat to Western civilization.

• The international system's bias against the tiny state of Israel that is fighting to defend these sanctimonious ingrates only undermines security, freedom and peace, and -- in ostentatious displays of cowardice, such as pleas to create a terrorist Palestinian state -- actually rewards Iran's aggression against the West by showing the terrorists that terrorism works.

• Governments need to close Iranian embassies where IRGC influence is suspected, expel connected diplomats, impose crippling sanctions that halt all trade, and fully cut economic ties. Iran's diplomatic missions have long served as hubs for intelligence and proxy coordination.

• Fully supporting U.S. and Israeli efforts against the regime is also crucial to neutralizing the threat.

• Symbolic measures -- bans and designations -- while welcome, urgently need to evolve into comprehensive isolation: severed diplomatic ties, airtight sanctions, and unwavering support for those on the front lines. Only by treating the Iranian regime and its proxies as the terrorist networks they are — without illusions of "moderation" — can the world curb their threat. Israel's defense is not merely self-preservation; it protects the principle that no nation can live under the shadow of genocidal intent.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, since its 1979 Islamic Revolution, has operated as a terrorist state, using the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and proxies such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis to advance its aims. No diplomatic deal or agreement has ever permanently halted these activities: the regime views such pacts as temporary opportunities for enrichment and rearmament. Pictured: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian looks on as a 'Qasem Soleimani' missile is displayed during a military parade in Tehran, on September 21, 2024. (Photo by Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite sanctions and military setbacks, Tehran's ideological commitment to the destruction of Israel, and targeting Jewish, Christian, Baha'i and other worldwide minority communities, remains a core pillar of its foreign policy and proxy strategies.

In Iran, far from being "just" rhetoric, this antagonism is daily seen in a pattern of terrorist operations, including plots against synagogues, Jewish sites, Christians, Baha'i and other "infidels," which exposes the regime's transnational reach.

When, however, anyone says that Iran is doing this, the so-called international community and United Nations are completely silent.

Recent incidents highlight a horrific wave of attacks and foiled plots targeting Jewish, Christian and other minority institutions. In the United Kingdom and across Europe, Iranian-linked actors, often operating through proxies or networks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have been tied to intimidation, arson and shooting attacks on synagogues and Jewish schools, stabbings of Jewish individuals, and threats against community sites. These operations demonstrate the regime's determination to export its antisemitic and anti-"infidel" ideology and use diaspora networks or recruited proxies to strike at Jewish, Christian and other "infidel" targets far from the Middle East. Authorities in the UK and other countries have documented multiple Iran-backed attacks and plots, especially against Jewish communities.

In response, the UK has taken a strong and rightful step by designating the IRGC a terrorist organization. Under new national security powers, providing any assistance to the group — or expressing support — can now result in severe penalties, up to 14 years in prison. Similarly, the EU added the IRGC to its terrorist list in February 2026, a significant policy shift that acknowledges the group's role in repression and international terrorism.

These developments make clear that the Iranian regime's ideological goals — annihilating Israel and targeting Jews globally — persist and are still being actively pursued. The Islamic Republic of Iran, since its 1979 Islamic Revolution, has operated as a terrorist state, using the IRGC and proxies such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis to advance its aims.

No diplomatic deal or agreement has ever permanently halted these activities: the regime views such pacts as temporary opportunities for enrichment and rearmament.

Under the 2015 JCPOA "nuclear deal" reached between Iran and the Obama administration, funds and sanctions relief flowed to Iran, benefiting the IRGC and its proxies. This empowerment directly contributed to heightened aggression, culminating in the horrific Hamas-led massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023. The regime's foundational goal of "wiping" Israel off the map remains unchanged, rooted in revolutionary ideology, based on a genocidal Islamic hadith that rejects Jews and Jewish self-determination within any borders:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him." — Sahih al-Bukhari 2926, Book 56, Hadith 139.

Israel's actions in defending itself are therefore not only justified but essential, not just for itself but for broader regional and global stability. Iran maintains terrorist cells and influence operations in numerous countries. While the United States and Israel have confronted this threat head-on through sanctions, intelligence, and military measures, much of the international community has been slower or indifferent in response. One rarely sees robust UN condemnations or widespread mainstream media outrage when Iranian attacks and plots against synagogues are carried out or disrupted. Yet, when Israel defends its citizens against attacks by Iran backed Hezbollah, the volume of criticism and calls for restraint are immediate and intense. This double standard emboldens terrorists and isolates the one democracy in the region, which actively counters a threat to Western civilization.

Israel maintains strong and peaceful relations with all nations that do not seek its destruction. It has every right — and indeed the duty — to defend itself against an ideologically driven regime that is working for its obliteration. The international system's bias against the tiny state of Israel that is fighting to defend these sanctimonious ingrates only undermines security, freedom and peace, and -- in ostentatious displays of cowardice, such as pleas to create a terrorist Palestinian state -- actually rewards Iran's aggression against the West by showing the terrorists that terrorism works.

The IRGC's banning by the UK's and its designation by the EU's are positive steps, but without deeper action, they remain symbolic. The IRGC and its affiliates operate on European and Western soil, endangering citizens through plots to harm locals. Mere listing or banning is insufficient. Governments need to close Iranian embassies where IRGC influence is suspected, expel connected diplomats, impose crippling sanctions that halt all trade, and fully cut economic ties. Iran's diplomatic missions have long served as hubs for intelligence and proxy coordination.

Fully supporting American and Israeli efforts against Iran is also crucial to neutralizing the threat.

The EU should also abandon its outdated distinction between Hezbollah's so-called "military" and "political" wings. As with Hamas or the Houthis, Hezbollah functions as a unified proxy of Iran. Its political activities fund and legitimize its terror apparatus. Treating the "wings" separately allows continued financing and influence under the guise of social or political work. Full designation is necessary for consistency against the IRGC's death grip.

The UN and the international community must stop turning away from this clear and present danger.

The Iranian regime's pursuit of the annihilation of Israel, Jews, the United States and the West is an ongoing operational reality. Foiled plots against the West -- including against President Donald J. Trump and other senior officials, journalists, dissidents and diplomats -- underscore the urgency. Symbolic measures -- bans and designations -- while welcome, urgently need to evolve into comprehensive isolation: severed diplomatic ties, airtight sanctions, and unwavering support for those on the front lines. Only by treating the Iranian regime and its proxies as the terrorist networks they are — without illusions of "moderation" — can the world curb their threat. Israel's defense is not merely self-preservation; it protects the principle that no nation can live under the shadow of genocidal intent.

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a political scientist, Harvard-educated analyst, and board member of Harvard International Review. He has authored several books on the US foreign policy. He can be reached at dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu