How a cleric from Iran stands up to the elite – because of animals

In many Islamic countries, people put food and water for stray animals at their doorstep. But in Iran the situation is a bit different: here street dogs are evaded, shot and poisoned.

Because the clerical elite that has ruled the country since the 1979 revolution have declared dogs and cats “unclean.” But an Iranian pastor is back – he’s set up an animal shelter where he takes in and cares for stray animals.

Sayed Mahdi Tabatabaei wears a black turban that identifies him as a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. But the “street dog taboo” is not a high priority for him. Two years ago, he therefore founded the animal shelter “Bamak Paradise” in his hometown of Quom. He tells the Los Angeles Times that it’s always very special for people to see a minister “do these things.”

“We take in dogs with disabilities, dogs that don’t survive in the wild and are struggling to find homes,” says Tabatabaei. “I personally nursed many dogs back to health. They will stay here until they have fully recovered and regained their strength.”

His work is also well received on Instagram. Tabatabaei now has more than 80,000 followers. But: what some like, others condemn. His videos and photos on the Internet have already caused him trouble. In 2021, the religious court even requested that his priesthood be fired after an image of him in church garb and with a dog surfaced. The verdict was later overturned.

Tabatabaei has now become more cautious. He tells the Los Angeles Times that he only wears “regular clothes” when he’s grooming the dogs or cleaning the shelter.

In order to continue to do his work, the cleric depends on donations. He says funding for organizations like his has plummeted in recent years, especially since the US tightened sanctions on Iran.

The country’s banking system is now almost completely cut off from the outside world, making it extremely difficult to transfer money. Iran’s economy has collapsed and the national currency has fallen to an all-time low over the past year. Many Iranians can barely provide for themselves, so donations often fail to materialize. He tells the Los Angeles Times:

He goes on to appeal: “If we could open bank accounts, we could get help from individuals and charities outside of Iran without them violating sanctions and risking legal complications.”

Tabatabaei hopes for change. Above all, lifting the ban on walking dogs in parks. “Pet owners should be able to walk their dogs and other pets,” he says. However, it may be some time before the situation for pets and their owners in Iran changes. Because there is still no law for the protection of animals in the country – and so there are hardly any possibilities to protect animals – certainly not for clergy.

(oo)