Iranian Christian dissident denied right to stay in Israel with Israeli wife, child - interview

Ramin Parsa, an Iranian Christian who moved to Israel in early 2023, is facing a potential deportation order from the Interior Ministry, despite building a life with his Israeli wife and their infant child.

Parsa, who has actively advocated for Israel and supported those displaced by recent conflicts, told The Jerusalem Post that the ministry's decision stems from his Iranian birth. He contrasts his experiences in Israel with his upbringing in Iran, where he witnessed public executions by crane, a stark symbol of oppression.

"The first time I saw an execution, I was eight or nine years old. I was walking to school when I saw a large crane and a crowd gathering around it. There was a noose hanging from the crane. Then they brought out a man. His eyes were covered with a blindfold; he was dressed in black, and they hanged him,” Parsa recounted. “I remember watching his legs kick as he died. I was completely traumatized seeing someone killed in front of me. They completely normalized it. They devalued human life."

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The first time I saw an execution, I was eight or nine years old. I was walking to school when I saw a large crane and a crowd gathering around it. There was a noose hanging from the crane. Then they brought out a man. His eyes were covered with a blindfold; he was dressed in black, and they hanged him. I remember watching his legs kick as he died. I was completely traumatized seeing someone killed in front of me. They completely normalized it. They devalued human life.

Parsa's initial application for citizenship was denied, with the official reason being his birth in an enemy state. Although a court ordered the Interior Ministry to reconsider, the reassessment on July 13 resulted in the demand that he leave the country or uproot his family.

He believes the decision is not based on national security but rather on his faith and the ministry's religious leanings. "The decision is because we're Christians, and they're afraid, and the Ministry of Interior is run by the Shas party, they’re religious, and they're very anti-Messianic, anti-Christian,” he stated.

The family has one final appeal scheduled for August 27. If unsuccessful, Parsa faces deportation.

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The decision is because we're Christians, and they're afraid, and the Ministry of Interior is run by the Shas party, they’re religious, and they're very anti-Messianic, anti-Christian.