US Ambassador Intervened: Iranian Who Married an Israeli Received Status in the Country

Ramin Parsa, an Iranian refugee who fled Iran and married an Israeli woman, received a temporary residence permit for one year in Israel after a 3.5-year legal battle and unusual intervention by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee. The Director General of the Population Authority granted the status, which will be reviewed at the end of the year.

Ramin Parsa, an Iranian refugee who fled Iran as a teenager after undergoing torture, was recognized as a refugee in the US in 2006 and received American citizenship in 2014, becoming a pro-Israel advocacy activist. He married Israeli woman Yasmin in California in 2020, and they have a two-year-old child and are expecting another. After immigrating to Israel, the state refused to regulate his status due to his being born in an enemy country, leading to a 3.5-year legal battle. The Jerusalem District Court ordered the Population Authority to reexamine the case, but the authority again rejected the request. About three weeks ago, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who knows the couple personally, sent an unusual letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasizing Parsa's work for Israel and humanitarian considerations. Following this, the Director General of the Population Authority granted Parsa a temporary residence permit for one year, which will be reviewed at its end. Parsa said the decision provides peace of mind and hope, thanking the ambassador and his lawyers. The lawyers expressed happiness with the decision but noted it was regrettable that the authority changed its position only after legal proceedings.