Antisemitism In Iran – Part II: Supreme Leader Associate Mehdi Taeb In Lecture Series On The Jews: Your Greatest Sworn Enemy The Jews; If The Spearhead Is Aimed At The Jews, The World Will Be Freed

Introduction

In response to February 15, 2019 statements by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the Munich Security Conference, in which he accused Iran of Nazi-like antisemitism,[1] Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif explained the next day, in an interview with the German daily Der Spiegel,  that Iran was not antisemitic, and that "Iran has always supported the Jews, we are only against Zionists. The Holocaust was a disaster."[2]

Disproving Zarif's statements are many antisemitic statements by figures at the very core of the Iranian regime. One of these figures is Mehdi Taeb, head of the Ammar Headquarters think tank that advises Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,[3] a close associate of Khamenei himself, and the brother of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)'s intelligence chief Hossein Taeb.

This report will present antisemitic and anti-Zionist statements made by Taeb in a six-part lecture series in late 2018, and at the "Consultation and Clarification on Ways to Confront the Zionists" conference in 2019. For MEMRI clips and reports on Taeb, see the appendix to this report.

The Ammar Headquarters, Headed By Mehdi Taeb

The Ammar Headquarters, which Mehdi Taeb heads, was established on February 11, 2011, on Iran's Islamic Revolution Day, following the 2009 Green Movement protests in Iran, in response to Khamenei's instruction to his loyalists in the political and cultural elite to prevent a recurrence of the protests. Aimed at strengthening absolute obedience to Khamenei and to the principle of the Rule of the Jurisprudent, its 15 members are for the most part senior regime officials and prominent theoreticians in hardline ideological circles. Taeb's deputy is Alireza Panahian, a senior official in Khamenei's office who heads Khamenei's think tanks in Iranian universities.[4] Other members are Saeed Ghasemi, former senior IRGC official and now a senior member in the hardline Iranian Hizbullah group,[5] and Hassan Abassi, IRGC theoretician and head of the IRGC's Doctrinal Center for National Security.[6]

The Ammar Headquarters members draw up strategies for monitoring and thwarting subversive anti-regime activity, both inside and outside the country, calling this activity "soft warfare." Deputy commander Panahian explained the role of the organization as "monitoring the fulfillment of Khamenei's demands, coordinating among the Islamic Revolution forces, overseeing the [regime's] organizational activity, monitoring the activity of the front that opposes the Islamic Revolution, identifying overt and covert enemy activity and enemy agents within Iran, and raising [public] awareness in the arena of internal developments."[7]

Taeb In Lecture Series On Jews And Zionism

In late 2018, Taeb gave a six-part lecture series to clerics and clerical students in Qom that stressed the importance of knowing the history of the Jews and Zionism. The transcripts of the lectures were published by Kheybar.net.[8] In his lectures, Taeb explained: "Knowing the enemy allows us to identify his evil schemes before [they are actualized] and allows us... to prevent any type of infiltration and deviation from the true path."

According to Taeb, his lectures clarify Quranic verses and reveal how the Islamic Regime in Iran sees the Jews and Zionists as one and the same. Referring to both as "warmongers and sorcerers," Taeb attributes to them traits such as oppressing others, inciting, looting, and being wealthy while pretending to be impoverished, and adds that they are a force of eternal evil, the root of evil in the world from ancient times to this very day, and that they aspire to control the entire world, not just Palestine, with their wealth and their control of the global media. He calls the Jews "a sworn enemy" of Islam and the Muslims, adding that " If you eradicate the Jews from the earth, the light of the unbelievers will go out on its own."

He also reiterates the declared aim of Iran's Islamic regime – to wipe out Zionism, that is, the State of Israel, and the Jews, and adds that the Jews "ignited the fire of war... If you know them well, you will understand why Zionism must be obliterated from the world in our time... Our activity to obliterate their presence in Palestine is in order to save Islam... If the spearhead is aimed at the Jews, the world will be freed."

• Lecture No. 1: "Knowing Zion and the Zionists" – September 27, 2018

• Lecture No. 2: "Who Are the Jews, How Should They Be Treated, and What the Jews Have to Do with Zionism" – November 14, 2018  

• Lecture No. 3: "Understanding the Jews by the Light of the Quran" – November 20, 2018

• Lecture No. 4: "The Jews' Claims of the Divine Promise of the Land [to Them]" – November 24, 2018

• Lecture No. 5:"Knowing the Enemy: The Jews as an Introduction to Knowing Zionism" – November 28, 2018

• Lecture No. 6: "The Jews' Ability to Organize and Exploit" – December 9, 2018.

Mehdi Taeb, Kheybar.net, November 14, 2018

Lecture No. 1: Who Are The Zionists?

In this lecture, Taeb says: "'Zionists' is the name of a cult that seeks to control, situate itself, and settle in Zion. Zion is the name of the sacred tomb in which Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock are located, and the Zionists want to control this Zion... "

"What does the word 'Jews' mean? This is a term that comes from the Quran, and it is the name God decided to give the cult called the Zionists. In order to answer this question, [we must examine] whether the term 'Jews" existed before the Quran. Did the Quran call this cult by the name [Zionists]? It should be said that what is certain is that the Quran uses the term 'Jews' but [that term] this does not appear in the New Testament or in any of the books of the Torah." Excerpts of this lecture were also posted on Taeb's Instagram account.[9]

Lecture No. 2: Knowing The Jews – A Deviant Group That Denies The Prophethood Of Those Who Came After Moses – i.e. Jesus And Muhammad

According to Taeb, a group called "the Jews" that was condemned in the Torah, in the New Testament, and in the Quran is not necessarily the same as the Children of Israel. He added that "Jew" is the name of "a deviant group that denies the prophethood of those who came after Moses, that is, Jesus and Muhammad" and that the Iranians call this deviant group "'Jood', not 'Yahood.'" The Jews, he continued, "are characterized by two traits that are always present: distortion and concealment. They also engage in usury."

"Every Jew is a Zionist, and every Zionist is a Jew, although politically speaking we distinguish between these two tribes, and despite the disputes between the two groups."

"The Quran determines that the Jews must be humiliated; the jizya poll tax must be taken from their hands, not by means of an emissary or any technological means because in those ways there is no humiliation. [Quran] 9:29 [states]: 'Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.' God wants to keep this group under the control of the believers [i.e. the Muslims] – why? Because it is a group with demands that exploits opportunities. The moment they have an opportunity, they act to destroy others... "

"Should this group, called the Jews, abandon its Jewish activity and believe in Muhammad and the [Shi'ite] imams, [that is,] in those continuing the path of Muhammad foreseen [also] by the previous prophets Moses and Jesus, and should it stop being stubborn, then [this group] will be fit for the term 'children of Israel' and will be considered ahl al-kitab [People of the Book – who believe in the mission of monotheism conveyed by the prophets, the Torah, the New Testament, and the Quran]. The Jews distorted the content of the Torah and the New Testament and destroyed what was written [in them] about Muhammad." 

The Zionist/Jew Similarity

"We argue that there are similarities between the Jews and the Zionists... In order to understand the essence of the connection, we must closely examine the laws and regulations of the State of Israel, because this group [the Jews] is expert at concealing the truth and not uttering it. Therefore, the Zionists must be asked: What is the meaning of the sign on your flag? What do you mean by using the Star of David? Why is it six-pointed? Why did you place two blue lines [on the flag, one] above [the star] and one below it?... If your place is here [in Israel], what does this flag mean? What [is the meaning] of the star and these two lines?... [One of] the two lines that are on this flag [symbolizes] the Nile and the other symbolizes the Euphrates. The Star of David has six sharp points, and the connection between the two rivers and the symbols on this flag is the strategic program of the Zionists, that states: We are the group that claims that it is the entire world. The symbol of the Israeli flag indicates this."

Lecture No. 3: Understanding The Jews By The Light Of The Quran: The Jews Aim To Control The Entire World

"What is the most important thing for us in understanding the Jews? What is important is to understand their aim and their desires... since we see that among the Jews there is one principle called the principle of concealment, the principle of camouflage, the principle of secrecy, meaning to never clearly express their aims! Therefore, if we want to understand the aim of the Jews by the light of the Quran, we must necessarily know what they are saying... The behavior of the Jews indicates that they claim that they were divinely promised global control...

"The Jews claim, and it is also written in the Zaboor [in Islam, a book attributed to King David], that the entire earth belongs to them. If you want to take back your home from the thief, and if the thief wants to resist, then you are entitled to kill the thief... If the Jews claim that the entire earth is theirs, then they give themselves the right to kill anyone who resists them, [whether he be] a child or an adult... [They] also take no pity on unborn children [in their mothers' wombs]..."

The Jews' Goal Is Firm: Control The Entire World, Not Just Palestine

"The goal of the Jews is [to control] the earth... According to the Quran, the Jew demands [control] of all the territories [in the world]... This belief is a natural belief. God wanted to renege [on His promise] but they told God that he cannot renege on it. The Jews say: God gave us the earth. He cannot take back [his words]..."

 

Taeb delivering his third lecture. Kheybar.net, November 20, 2018

Lecture No. 4: The Jews And The Divine Promise For Control Of The Earth

"The reason for the Jews' fear is the true interpretation of the Quran...

"We have seen in the Torah that God struggled with Jacob and knocked him to the ground. It is written in the preface to the four-volume Torah in the possession of the Jews of Iran – whom I personally consider Zionists – and which was translated [into Farsi] by Haroun Yashayaei, that the entire commentary given to us [Jews] with regard to God and the Jews and so on is because of translation mistakes. With regard to the verses [about Jacob's fight with God], he [Haroun] interpreted them to mean that the Torah says that God struggled with Jacob. For the word 'struggle,' there are several meanings: one is wrestling. The second is submission, and the third is quarrel. God humiliated Jacob. There are Quran verses that [relate something ] similar to this incident, but the translation in the hands [of the Jews about this incident] is mistaken, and if you pay attention you will see that it is not so, and that these things do not appear in the Torah at all...

"The Jews want the entire world... When they want the entire world, there will be no room left for you. Under what conditions did God promise this land to the children of Israel? The Jews argue that it is inconceivable that God could renege from his wish [to give them control of the earth]. If you ask a Jew whether God did not give you the earth, he will answer that He did. We ask why He did not place it in your hands. He will answer that He gave us [the Jews] the responsibility for obtaining it..."

Lecture No. 5: "If You Know The Jews Well, You Will Understand Why Zionism Must Be Obliterated From The World In Our Time"

"[The term mentioned in the Quran,] 'Children of Israel,' is a symbol for the believers [and not necessarily connected to today's Jewish people]. This can be understood from God's saying many times: 'We said to them: if you believe it will be thus...' This means that He accepted you [Jews] only if you believe. The prophet Moses told them many times, Believe. He rebuked  them many times for not believing.

"And the verse that best [clarifies this] is the verse in which God announces that the prophet Moses told them, 'O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah has prescribed for you' [Quran 5:21]... [The Jews] tell us: 'See, you yourselves say that it is written in the Quran that God said this to the prophet Moses.' [But] if you look [closely] you will notice that the meaning [of the word] 'people' in this verse is not really 'the people' but actually 'the believers.'

"Why is this? [Because later in the verse it states]: 'and turn not on your backs for then you will turn back losers'. Who is the loser in this world? He who does not carry out God's words. Thus it is proven that you [Jews] had this opportunity by virtue of your belief. If this is not the case, why is it written 'if you turn your backs, you will lose?'

"And why will they lose the [Promised] Land?! The Jews address the prophet Moses, [saying]: 'Oh Moses, we aren't coming'... The prophet [then] Moses said to God: 'Then take me from them, because they no longer want to be believers. When they don't want to be believers, I have nothing to do with the children of Israel, [because] I deal [only] with believers.'

"For this reason, the Quran says: 'so part us from the defiantly disobedient people.' It follows that those whom the prophet Moses addressed, the children of Israel, were not a race, but were children of Israel as an example of those who want to believe. When they said, 'We will not believe in you,' [Moses] said to them, Goodbye, I won't be seeing you again. [Later on] God said: 'Then indeed, [entering the Promised Land] is forbidden to them for forty years [in which] they will wander throughout the land.' Had the [Promised] Land been theirs because they were the people [of Israel], why was [their entrance into it] delayed for 40 years? It turns out that the land does not belong to any [particular] people, but to a people in the sense of a believing people, and their entrance into it was delayed because they rebelled."

"The Jews Want The Entire Earth"

"All this is written also in their psalms. Before the Jews were mentioned in the Quran, they already formulated these opinions for themselves. Therefore, the conclusion is that the Jews want the entire earth. Is there any [other] group whose believers want the entire earth besides the Jews? Can we say that the unbelievers want the entire earth? Do the unbelievers have some book from which we can understand their desire? Did the unbelievers in Mecca have a book? They scarcely said that the Kaaba was theirs! What about the unbelievers in India...? Can you find in the Upanishads any claim that 'the entire earth is yours [i.e. belongs to the Hindus'], go conquer it?' No way. Are all these infidel religions in India in a dispute with anyone? Are they warmongers and sorcerers...? We do not find any [case] where unbelief presents [such] well-edited, organized and planned claims [as in the writings of the Jews].

"[The unbelievers of Mecca] came [to Muhammad] and said 'Come, let's split it half and half. Half for you and half for us. You believe in our idols and we will accept your God.' Muhammad answered: 'No such thing. I want the whole, and you cannot have half and half.' From all this, we see that [even] they [the unbelievers] do not claim they want everything.

"But we see that the Jews have no such thing as half-and half. The Jews say: 'Everything is ours, and you must go to perdition and to hell'... What is the first thing we learn about the Jews? Their aim."

Knowing And Defining The Enemy – The Jews Are Your Enemy No. 1

"The word 'people' actually means the entire population of the earth. You [audience] want to rank them according to their hostility towards the believers. You have enemies on the earth, and you ask, Who among them is the greatest sworn [enemy]? [The answer is] that [Enemy No.] 1 is the Jews. If you eradicate the Jews from the earth, the light of the unbelievers will go out on its own. If you look at the wars of the first years of Islam, all of them took place following the Jews' incitement. They ignited the fire of war. Therefore, [the Quran] says that the unbelievers are only a tool in their [the Jews'] hands...

Taeb delivering his fifth lecture in the series. Kheybar.net, November 28, 2018

The Jews Are The Harshest Enemy

"In Surat Al-Maida, the Quran reveals the order of priorities. I said that these and [also] these are the enemies, but as far as hostility goes, the top-ranked enemy is the Jews, then the unbelievers, and these two hate you so much that the [Christians'] hatred in comparison is regarded as friendship. This is because the essence of the Christians' hostility can be curbed, and therefore there is no need to act [against them] at this time. The structure of the Christians' hatred is such that its aim right now is not war, and therefore you [Muslims] will not be destroyed if you ignore them at this time.

"There is a very fine matter here, please note: The weapons and equipment that you need for war against the Jews are different from those you need against the Christians. If you go among the Christians and talk with them about the Imam Hossein and his martyrdom, you will be able to train them and curb them. This is because the essence of the Imam Hossein is love, and the nearer you draw to him and to Karbala, the [more you] sink into   the sea of his love. And the essence of those who draw near changes. But this is not the case with the Jews. Anything you tell them about the Imam Hossein, they will make it worse..."

Knowing The Jews Is The Prelude To Knowing Zionism

"God said that the Jews are the harshest enemies [of humanity], and they should be examined according to four topics: a) What the Jews want; b) how many means they have [to obtain it]; c) how much they know; and d) how motivated they are. In order to fully know Zionism, you must first of all know the Jews well, and if you know them well, you will understand why Zionism must be obliterated from the world in our time:

"The means [they have to obtain it]: As far as their capability is concerned, what means do they have? How many means have they collected in order to [carry out] these aims? The Jews are trying to keep their aim secret, and to keep their means hidden as well, so that they will be known as a weak, whining, and miserable people. They always present a face of poverty, even though as far as means go they are very wealthy. When you read the history [of the city of] Medina, you will see that the gold market was in their hands. The most profitable business is the gold business. When [the Muslims] took [the Jewish oasis] of Khaybar [in the Arabian Peninsula], [look] how much money they brought from there, that changed the economic situation in Medina! What do you know about [the Jewish-owned oasis of Fadak, which was conquered by Muhammad and given as a gift to his daughter Fatima]? What a mighty agricultural industry the Jews had! We do not see in the history of that time [early Islam] any place in the world that had such extensive and organized agriculture as this.

"If you look at the course of history, [you see that] the kings' physicians were usually Jews, and you know how much money a king's physician makes! Pharmacists and spice merchants were usually Jews, and you know the profits of the medicine trade. The global gold market was usually in their hands. In effect, no one even investigates the riches in the hands of the Jews because they do not allow this. See the reports on the Twin Towers that were blown up in New York – they were the trade towers in America. The office of every [manufacturer] of goods you would want to buy was in those towers. It is said that 80-90% of these towers were owned by Jews. Most of the countries that want to cooperate with us [do not do so] due to the fear that they will have a hard time because the wealthy Jews will withdraw the funds they have invested in them.

"See who today controls the media in the world, both its technology and its use. The media determine the transfer of wealth. You can sell worthless merchandise via the media. The media is controlled by the Jews – both its hardware and its software. You hear suddenly that some scientist in some country said that drinking four cups of tea a day is good for the heart! And all the global media is talking about it. Because tea remains in the hands of the [Jewish] merchants, and thus some [of them] invent stories and talk about this and force the entire world to drink tea until they sell their entire inventory of tea. Or you see suddenly that some medicine has been discovered to be harmful, and it is removed from the shelves, [and this] is because the [Jewish] merchants have brought a new medicine that is more profitable and [therefore] they point out in the media the drawbacks of the previous medicine and therefore it is removed while the new medicine is sold.

"Knowledge [i.e. what they know]: The mass media is in the hands [of the Jews] and they play easily with global trade – but look and you will see that they are presented as impoverished. [They control the media thanks to] their expertise and knowledge! They know a great deal. Apparently the Quran points at several matters [concerning the Jews' extensive knowledge] and we never noticed: When Moses struck [the rock] with his staff, a lot of water streamed out, from 12 points in the rock. He told them: 'Go and drink water' and 'each  stream of water belongs to a certain tribe [of the Tribes of Israel], and each of you can drink his, but not ] water belonging to other [tribes].' [That is, Moses knew how to extract water and how to manage its distribution – it was not a miracle.]"

Lecture No. 6: "The Jews Want Everything That Exists – They Also Know Well How To Get What They Want; They Have The Tools And The Motivation"

"[The Jews] had knowledge from the beginning... When the Great Prophet [Muhammad] arrived, the group that was around the prophet did not know anything, while these people [the Jews] did know. This group used all its might against the Prophet... [while] the idol-worshippers did not know their left from their right. They did not know how to organize. You see how they organized in the [624 CE] Battle of Badr and how they were struck... But when you look at the Jews, you see that they carried out the greatest evil deed against the Prophet, but they always fled from the horror of the sword of the Prophet because they knew [how], and received the best instruction on how to flee, and they are still dispatching people to the sensitive decision-making centers of the world to study and serve there! Sixty-seven percent of the U.S. Department of State is Jewish. This means that the [American] team that came to [the nuclear] negotiations with us, which was briefed and competent, at least 67% of it was Jewish.

"These are [the same Jews] who know and always argue that 'we are a wretched people that must be saved.'  They always work for each other. Because of their evil reputation, they became the sworn enemies [of the Muslims]. [They] want everything that exists; they also know well how to obtain what they want. They also have tools, and motivation... Who is behind these ISIS members [in the region]? Not idol-worshippers, Indians, or Chinese. We see that the Jews brought them..."

Taeb's Statements At January 2019 Conference: "The Jews Have Been The Problem Of The Muslim Ummah From The Time Of Muhammad To This Day... Our Operation To Obliterate Their Presence In Palestine Is Aimed At Saving Islam"

On January 31, 2019, Taeb again spoke about the Jews, at a conference on "Consultation and Clarification on Ways to Confront the Zionists" held at the conference center of the Resa News Agency in Qom. The following are the main points of his speech:

"The Jews have been the problem of the Muslim ummah from the time of Muhammad to this day. [Then,] our main problem was that Muhammad's followers did not know the enemy. They barely grasped the essence and the reality of the enemy, and therefore did not help Muhammad at the appropriate time. The first Muslims knew nothing about who the [real] enemy at the [625 CE] Battle of Uhud [between the Qurayshi and the Muslims], ... in which the Muslim army was defeated. At the [624] Battle of Badr [between Muhammad's army and the army of Mecca], they showed a lack of insight, and ultimately did not help [as they should have] and as a result the main aim of Muhammad's mission – the globalization of Islam – was not achieved."

Taeb at the Consultation and Clarification on Ways to Confront the Zionists conference (Source: Kheybar.com, January 31, 2019)

"It is interesting that Muhammad never reached Al-Aqsa mosque in the regular way, and only on the night of his ascent to heaven did he travel to this mosque [in Jerusalem, by supernatural means]. Had Muhammad succeeded in conquering Jerusalem, the religion of Islam would have gone global.

"This shows that the people around Muhammad were unable to properly recognize the enemy. Throughout history, great efforts were made to achieve appropriate knowledge about the enemy so that we would understand that the plunderers of Jerusalem are our main enemy. Muhammad labeled the foreheads of the Jews with the label of arrogance – that is, the concept of the 'prideful corrupt one' expressed in the Quran – and therefore the only people in the world who will not earn [the right to] the world to come and who hate those [i.e. the Muslims] who yearn for the world to come are the Jews.

"Today, by virtue of the work and the blood of our exalted martyrs throughout history, this issue is becoming clear, and everyone is internalizing in their consciousness that the Jews are the enemies that most hate the Muslims, but in Muhammad's time this issue was not clear in their consciousness.

"The story of the Jews, the people of the evil plots, is now clear to the public [worldwide]. The world needs to know that the [main] story is not at all the issue of the oppression that the Jews are implementing in Palestine – it is their evil plots on the face of the earth. Our operation to obliterate their presence in Palestine is aimed at saving Islam.

"In the war [against the Jews], we still encounter disagreement and disputes, and we still have not grasped [the idea that] if the spearhead is aimed at the Jews, the world will be freed. Therefore, even the Christians must go along with the Muslims in order to take vengeance against this stubborn hostile group [the Jews].

"[Iranian Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei said in a speech, 'The world will not be silent if it understands how the Jews have [always] extorted and taken over the countries.' Just a few years ago, he said, 'In order to destroy Israel, the media and the pens must begin to act..."[10]

Appendix: MEMRI Reports, Clips On Taeb's Statements About Jews And Zionism

MEMRI TV Clips

Iranian Ideologue Mehdi Taeb: The Jews Are Behind Media, ISIS; Plot To Take Over The World

To view this clip on MEMRI TV, click here or below:

 Head Of Iranian Think Tank Advising Khamenei: The Jews Want Nuclear Bomb To Kill Muslims And Achieve World Domination

To view this clip on MEMRI TV, click here or below:

 

MEMRI Reports

• MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6759, Khamenei Associate Mehdi Taeb: 'The Jews... Are The Only Ones Who Need Weapons Of Mass Destruction In Order To Rule The World – Because There Are 1.4 Billion Muslims And None Of Them Agree To Jewish Supremacy,' January 27, 2017

• MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 5288, Iranian Official: The Jews Use Sorcery Against Iran, April 28, 2013

• MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 946, Iranian Official: The Loss Of Syria Will Lead To The Loss Of Tehran Itself; Syria Is An Iranian Province; Iran Has Formed A 60,000-Strong Syrian Basij; Israel Is Our Only Threat, March 11, 2013

 

*A. Savyon is director of MEMRI's Iran Media Project; M. Abraham, M. Manzour, and E. Kharrazi are research fellows at MEMRI.