Iranian regime opponent moved to Israel – not without US involvement

Ramin Persa, an Iranian native who fled persecution and received asylum in the US, has obtained temporary residency in Israel after three and a half years of bureaucratic struggle. The decisive role was played by the intervention of US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Ramin Persa, an Iranian native who fled persecution as a teenager and received asylum in the US, has obtained temporary residency in Israel after three and a half years of bureaucratic obstacles. Persa, who openly supports the Jewish state, is married to Israeli woman Yasmin, whom he met on social media. The couple married in 2020 in California and moved to Israel, where they are raising a two-year-old son and expecting a second child. Israeli authorities denied him status due to his Iranian origin, citing the law on citizens of an enemy state. Lawyers Tomer Varsh and Asaf Weitzen initiated legal proceedings, but the Population Authority rejected requests. The turning point came after the intervention of US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, personally acquainted with the family, who sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The authorities granted Persa temporary residency, opening the path to permanent status.