For Jewish Iranians, war with Israel brings a flood of mixed emotions

World For Jewish Iranians, war with Israel brings a flood of mixed emotions By Seyed Rahim Bathaei Seyed Rahim Bathaei Producer Seyed Rahim Bathaei has been CBS News' producer in Tehran, Iran since 2009. Read Full Bio Seyed Rahim Bathaei April 20, 2026 / 12:40 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Tehran — Iran's significant Jewish population has been caught in the crossfire along with the rest of the Islamic Republic's population amid the U.S.-Israeli war with their country. For some, it's brought a unique sense of internal struggle.Iranian officials allowed CBS News and some other foreign media outlets access to visit one of the main synagogues in central Tehran last week, where a few Iranian Jews — who asked not to be identified by their real names — shared their anger and anxiety about the seven-week war.There are believed to be some 12,000 Jewish Iranians in the country. It is one of the biggest Jewish communities, if not the biggest, in the Middle East outside of Israel. Senior Iranian Rabbi Younes Hamami Lalezar speaks with news reporters during an organized media event at the Sukkat Shalom Synagogue in central Tehran, April 16, 2026. CBS News/Seyed Bathaei It's a significantly smaller number than the estimated 100,000 or more who lived in the country before the Islamic Republic came to power with the 1979 revolution. From that time, the community has shrunk for various reasons, including anxiety over unequal treatment — which the government denies, insisting that Jews are allowed to practice their religion openly and without fear of persecution.Yacub, 71, a grandfather who owns a small shop in the Iranian capital, was initially reluctant to speak with an American news outlet, but he eventually agreed to share his perspective.He said there are restrictions facing Jewish people "everywhere, and naturally there are in this country, too. Things like not being able to get employed within the government or armed forces."Iran's judiciary...