Q&A: Local Iranian Jewish Journalist Expresses Optimism for Iran’s Future

Karmel Melamed, an Iranian American journalist based in Los Angeles, has been closely watching recent events between Israel and Iran.

A contributor to several Jewish news outlets, including The Jewish Journal, Melamed has written extensively about his hope for regime change in Iran, which would mean the toppling of the Islamic Republic’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, followed by the election of a democratically elected government. 

In a recent phone interview with The Journal, Melamed discussed what a secular Iran might look like. Striking an optimistic tone, the Iranian Jewish journalist spoke about his hope that a peace accord — which he calls the “Cyrus Accords” — could create a new future for the region. Additionally, he commented how his dual identity as an Iranian Jew places him in a unique position to serve as a bridge-builder.

The conversation has been edited for clarity.

Jewish Journal (JJ):  

You’ve previously written about the Cyrus Accords. What is that?

Karmel Melamed (KM): 

When I talk about the Cyrus Accords, we are assuming this current regime in Iran is gone and a secular, democratically elected government is in place. This is the scenario I’m talking about. The Ayatollahs [high-ranking Shia clerics] are out, and people have voted for a secular, democratic government to represent them.

The Cyrus Accords would be like the Abraham Accords [a normalization agreement between Israel and several Arab countries, including Bahrain and United Arab Emirates] but with Iran and Israel. It would fully normalize relations between both countries, establish full economic cooperation between those two countries and I believe that would occur way faster than a deal with Syria or Lebanon or with any of these Arab countries because the majority of the sentiment of the people of Iran is one of affection that they feel toward the Jewish people, even toward Israelis. 

I have interviewed countless people inside Iran, activists in Europe and America and Iranian activists and they’ve said point blank: we’re counting the days until the Cyrus Accords, a day of friendly relations between Iran and Israel, takes shape. They see Israel as their ancestral, historic friends, going back to the days of [Biblical leader] Cyrus the Great.

JJ: Who are you talking to inside Iran?

KM: Various opposition activists. I can’t say their names because their safety is at risk, but these are young people under the age of 35, making efforts to fight the regime any way they can. They’ve reached out to me over the years through social media or through Iran opposition activists in America and are connected to me through those ways.

JJ: What gives you confidence both sides would want the Cyrus Accords?

KM: I personally believe the foundations of the peace were poured in the late 1950s, 60s and 70s, between Iran and Israel. From 1958-1979, Iran had de facto relations with Israel — it was not formal; it was kind of a behind-the-scenes friendship, largely thanks to [late diplomat] Meir Ezri [who served as] Israel’s unofficial ambassador to Iran [between 1958 and 1975].

Those foundations have already been poured. Iranians were traveling to Israel for medical treatment by the hundreds during this time period, so I believe that based on that contemporary history, the foundations of peace were laid. They went dormant after the 1979 revolution, but it could very easily be revived.

It’s not like the Emirates, Bahrain or Morocco, where people need to meet each other, and contacts need to be made. It’s already happened [between Israel and Iran] in the 20th century.

You’ve got a huge population in Iran, 80% under the age of 40, who know nothing about the [1979] revolution. They’re Gen-Z and have YouTube and social media, and they’re looking at Israel as a tech hub, and looking at the freedoms Israel has, and these great developments they have, and they’re saying to themselves, “Why not us? We have no beef with Israelis or the Jews. We want that.”

JJ: What’s been your reaction to the statements of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, who in the wake of Israel’s successful attack has called for a leadership transition in Iran? 

KM: He has been promoting this for a long time. He and his wife, Yasmine, made a historic visit to Israel [in 2023]. It was the first time in 43 years that an Iranian figure, a well-known Iranian figure, had traveled to Israel, and he went to the Western Wall, he prayed there, embraced Iranians of the Jewish faith that live in Israel, embraced Israelis and he said, “We want peace with you”

Most likely, he will be spearheading this effort if he becomes, you know, a leading political figure in Iran. And the signs are pointing to that indeed he will. He may be leading a transitional government until an elected government is established in free elections.

JJ: What are you hoping to see going forward?

KM: I’m looking to see the collapse of the regime, the end of this 40-year nightmare. The Iranians are yearning, much like the people of Eastern Europe during the Cold War, for freedom. They’re yearning for peace and better lives for themselves. 

I’m looking forward to the day when this regime is gone, this evil regime is gone, and the people are free, can live free lives and enjoy happiness, and the whole region can breathe. After so many years of war and terrorism that has been funded by this Ayatollah regime, there is a growing contingency in the Arab world tired of this regime and happy Israel is acting in this neighborhood. This regime has been an obstacle to their improvement and betterment.

Even though I am a reporter from the Iranian Jewish community, I look forward to being an ambassador between the two nations. As an Iranian Jew, I have a unique position of being in both words, the Jewish-Israeli world and the Iranian world. I have both identities. I share both identities. I have a unique role as a bridge builder, as a peace builder, as someone who speaks both languages, knows both people, so I look forward to bringing both sides together, and I think others in the Iranian community look forward to that as well, not just politically, but in business and academia. I look forward to that role. 

This is something that’s been dormant for 46 years and it’s about time we in the Jewish world start reaching out to our Iranian friends as they are embracing a hand of friendship to us.