Iranian Officials Claim Israel Uses Jinns and Talismans in War
In the aftermath of a 12-day war between Iran and Israel, an unusual narrative has emerged among Iranian officials and religious figures: they claim Israel employs supernatural forces, such as "Jinns and Hebrew talismans," as weapons of war.
These claims extend beyond media coverage - political advisors, security officials, and prominent clerics have also echoed this narrative.
The claims gained traction when Abdullah Ganji, an advisor to Tehran's mayor, posted on X that "several papers containing talismans with Jewish symbols" had been discovered on the capital's streets following the conflict.
Ganji did not provide any photographic evidence, but his statement sparked widespread debate on social media.
The talisman allegations gained momentum when images surfaced showing a Star of David pattern carved into a dirt field near Khomein.
While some interpreted this as evidence of Israeli infiltration or supernatural warfare, the Hamshahri newspaper later clarified that the markings were from a previous military exercise conducted by the Revolutionary Guard.
More dramatic claims followed. A social media user identifying as "Sheikh Mojtaba" alleged that a "talisman with Jewish symbols" was found in the clothing of a war martyr named Rezvanpour, suggesting the soldier had been tracked and killed through supernatural means.
Residents of Tehran also reported hearing calls to prayer broadcast at unusual hours from newly installed minaret structures throughout the city, adding to the atmosphere of supernatural anxiety.
The Instagram page "Dezh" claimed that starting in the second week of the war, mysterious papers and talismans with unknown symbols were discovered across Tehran and its suburbs.
The page claimed that security agencies subsequently summoned and interrogated experienced incantation writers, first questioning their possible role in creating the talismans and then seeking their assistance in identifying and neutralizing the incantations.
These supernatural security concerns reflect a long-standing, persistent theme in Iranian political discourse that has found new expression in the country's regional conflicts.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has frequently referenced supernatural enemies in his speeches. In 2011, he said that "against Satan, Jinns, and humans, all divine reserves within oneself must be used." A year later, he described the Islamic Republic's adversaries as "jinns and humans" working together.
In 2014, Khamenei elaborated on this theme, saying, "Human and genie Satans help each other. One of the calculation errors is that humans remain limited within the framework of tangible and purely material factors, ignoring things unseen by the eye."
By 2020, Khamenei explicitly connected supernatural forces to intelligence operations, stating, "Both genie enemies and human enemies exist, and they help each other; intelligence systems of many countries cooperate against us."
Ahmad Abedi, a seminary professor interpreting Khamenei's statements, explains that while the existence of Jinns is accepted in Islamic theology, their influence is deemed limited.
However, Abedi claims that people with "weak faith" are more susceptible to "Satan and genie inspirations." He also alleges that "Jews and especially Zionists are heavily into supernatural matters" and that "their espionage organizations like Mossad engage in these activities."
The supernatural has periodically emerged in Iranian politics. During Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, the topic gained unprecedented prominence.
Following the disputed 2009 elections, Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazi publicly declared that Ahmadinejad had fallen under the magical influence of his deputy, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei. The judiciary subsequently arrested several individuals on charges of "fortune-telling" and "genie-catching."
Since 2021, however, Iranian officials have increasingly directed supernatural allegations outward, particularly toward Israel.
Mohammad Bagheri, a writer linked to the Revolutionary Guard, claims Israel systematically employs "magic, talismans, genie devils, and Kabbalah teachings" in its intelligence operations.
He has written a novel titled 'From Pemba to Mariana', exploring these themes. He argues that Israel wages "a multi-layered war against the Islamic world" using both conventional intelligence and supernatural forces.
Mojtaba Azizi, the Friday prayer leader of Varamin near Tehran, said in 2024 that both the CIA and Israel use Jinns in their operations.
He suggested the Islamic Republic might use similar tactics, adding, "Just as you speak of infidel Jinns, there are also believer Jinns - meaning it can be bilateral, and believers can also use believer Jinns."
Following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, seminary professor Mostafa Karimi said, "Israel has a serious history of subjugating Jinns," indicating that the country's "top-level rabbis" possess knowledge of supernatural manipulation.
Quranic researcher Saeed Shams echoed these sentiments, claiming, "Jews are more believing and committed than others in talisman work, magic, and subjugation."
However, he also says that "genie power cannot overcome believers' prayers" and that "sometimes one Salawat [the act of sending blessings upon Islam's Prophet] can destroy all their power."
Ali Akbar Raeefipour, director of the Masaf Institute and a prominent conspiracy theorist, suggested that Mossad operates a dedicated supernatural unit, potentially called the "General Directorate of Jinns."
He claims the agency uses Jinns for mind-reading during warfare and alleges similar tactics were used during the 2006 Lebanon war.
The claims have been met with skepticism from some religious authorities. Mohammad Taqi Fazel Meybodi, a seminary professor, dismissed the talisman reports as "superstitions," arguing that "some people, to distance society from scientific realities and spread a kind of irrationality in society, promote such discussions and statements."
Public reaction has been mixed. Writer Ali Bozorgian responded sarcastically to the genie claims, saying, "The situation is strange. You wake up and realize the Jinns of Karaj have been defeated by the Jinns of Tel Aviv."
Other social media users have questioned the logic behind the narrative of supernatural warfare, asking why Afghan immigrants are being deported on espionage charges if Jinns are the real security threat, or why kolbars are executed when supernatural forces are reportedly infiltrating the country.