Nov 03

WHEN:

Nov 3rd 10:00am - Nov 3rd 11:00am

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

USCIRF Conversation: Iranian Government Propaganda Against Religious Minorities

Thursday, November 3, 2022
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Virtual Event

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted a virtual discussion of USCIRF’s recent report on Iranian government propaganda and abuses against religious minorities, in light of the brutal crackdowns, arrests, and killings of peaceful protestors against the mandatory religious headscarf (hijab) laws.

Iran’s government uses both traditional and social media to incite intolerance against the country’s many religious minority communities, including Jews, Sunni Muslims, Gonabadi Sufis, Christian converts, and Baha’is. This propaganda promotes false narratives that Iranian religious minorities are disloyal and serves to justify the Iranian government’s ongoing and systematic crackdown on these groups.

The report, which draws on primary source Persian-language material, finds that Iran’s government commonly accuses religious minorities of having ties to foreign states and wishing to sow discord within the country. Iranian propaganda accuses Jews of being responsible for Iran’s economic problems and of being spies for Israel. Sunnis are framed as a demographic threat to the country’s Shi’a majority and therefore a national security threat. Iran’s propaganda falsely accuses Gonabadi Sufis of being a violent sect tied to foreign entities. It calls Christian converts members of a “Zionist evangelist cult” engaged in widespread security efforts against Iran. Baha’is are discussed as a deviant sect of Islam and a treasonous group with deviant moral practices. These messages serve to justify the Iranian government’s ongoing religious freedom violations.

USCIRF Commissioner Eric Ueland led the discussion with Shahin Milani, Executive Director of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and author of the report.

Panelists

  • Eric Ueland, Commissioner, USCIRF
  • Shahin Milani, Executive Director, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
     

Moderator

  • Scott Weiner, Supervisory Policy Analyst, USCIRF

 

This virtual event is open to the public and media. The video recording will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact [email protected].