[Lu5ck]

Have you asked yourself why did the Jews settled in Persia (Iran) and all across the Arab lands from 300 BC to the time of Jesus and beyond? 

These happened to be the period when the Greeks & Romans took turns to invade Jerusalem. 

Is it because they were fleeing persecution by the Greeks & Romans, and the Persians and Arabs were the ones who gave them refuge?

Yes, they are conquered by a lot of countries but Rome did allow Judaism as legal religion at several point of history. When Caliphate conquered Jerusalem, they start converting these Jews because Islam has high focus on memberships. Mind you, my Muslim friends too agree membership is a big deal in Islam. So naturally, when you try to convert people, you are doing a minimum death ethnic cleansing.

Since Jews originated from Jerusalem, naturally they run to surrounding regions like Europe, North Africa, Middle East.