On this day, May 9 1979, Habib Elghanian, a Persian Jewish businessman was executed in Tehran.
A self-made millionaire, he played a significant role in the economical development of Iran.
A thread on his accomplishments and the consequences of his execution.

#PersianJews

When Reza Shah founded his dynasty in 1925, he started a modernizing process and allowed Jews to play a big part in it.
Habib and his brothers introduced the plastics industry to the country and established “Plasco” factory that became the most technologically advanced in Iran.

Habib was also a philanthropist. When Islamic leaders approached him for financial help for the building of the Hosseinieh Ershad mosque, he raised additional funds from other Persian Jewish businessmen.
Today the mosque is used for lectures on history and religion.

In 1962, he launched the Plasco Building, which was the first privately built high-rise building and the first modern mall in the country.
It was a symbol of pride for Persian Jews who, only forty years before, were forced to live in poverty and ghettos by the Qajar dynasty.

When Iran had close relations with Israel, Iranian businessmen and politicians would make business with Israel. Habib himself contracted with Israeli engineers to build the Plasco Building.
Some religious leaders hated the success of Jews and accused them of ruling the country.

Shortly after the Islamic Revolution, Habib Elghanian was arrested and only allowed a 20-minute trial. He was then executed by a firing squad and the government seized his properties.
Fearing for their life, 75% of the Iranian Jewish community (~60,000 persons) fled in 1980

In 2017, the Plasco Building collapsed in a deadly fire.
Along with the building, it’s the legacy of a man wrongfully executed that is gone.
Persian Jews have greatly contributed to the development modern Iran and historical Persia. Most of them are now in Israel and the US.

Main sources :

- Esther’s Children

- @KarmelMelamed “Iranian Regime and Zarif Owe Iranian Jews Apology” (2019)
-> https://forward.com/opinion/445521/its-the-anniversary-of-irans-murder-of-habib-elghanian-the-jewish/

- Abbas Milani, “Eminent Persians: The Men and Women Who Made Modern Iran”

- Shahrzad Elghanayan, "How Iran killed its future"