of their parents' (or even the entire share of their uncle's) estate if their siblings (or cousins) remain non-Muslim. Collectively, these laws, regulations and general discrimination and persecution have led to Iran's non-Muslim population falling dramatically. For example, the Jewish population in Iran dropped from 80,000 to 30,000 in the first two decades following the revolution (roughly 1978–2000). By 2012, it had dwindled below 9,000. Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith has been persecuted since its inception in Iran. Since the 1979 revolution the persecution of Baháʼís has increased with oppression, the denial of civil rights and liberties, and the denial of access to higher education and employment. There were an estimated 350,000 Baháʼís in Iran in 1986. The Baháʼís are scattered in small communities throughout Iran with a heavy concentration in larger cities. Most Baháʼís are urban, but there are some Baháʼí villages, especially in Fars and Mazandaran. The majority of Baháʼís are Persians, but there is a significant minority of Azeri Baháʼís, and there are even a few among the Kurds. Baháʼís are neither recognized nor protected by the Iranian constitution. The Baháʼí Faith originated in Iran during the 1840s as a messianic movement out of Shia Islam. Opposition arose quickly, and Amir Kabir, as prime-minister, regarded the Bábis as a threat and ordered the execution of the founder of the movement, the Báb and killing of as many as 2,000 to 3,000 Babis. As another example two prominent Baháʼís were arrested and executed circa 1880 because the Imám-Jum'ih at the time owed them a large sum of money for business relations and instead of paying them he confiscated their property and brought public ridicule upon them as being Baháʼís. Their execution was committed despite observers testifying to their innocence. The Shia clergy, as well as many Iranians, have continued to regard Baháʼís as heretics (the founder of Baháʼí, Baháʼu'lláh, preached that his prophecies superseded Muhammad's), and consequently Baháʼís have encountered much prejudice and have often been the objects of persecution. The situation of the Baháʼís improved under the Pahlavi shahs when the government actively sought to secularize public life, but there were still organizations actively persecuting the Baháʼís (in addition curses children would learn decrying the Báb and Baháʼís). The Hojjatieh was a semi-clandestine traditionalist Shia organization founded by Muslim clerics on the premise that the most immediate threat to Islam was the Baháʼí Faith. In March to