Menashe Amir was born Manouchehr Sachmachi in Tehran on December 27, 1940 in a secular Jewish family. He grew up in the ancient Jewish quarter called “Mahaleh”. His primary education was in a Christian missionary school called “Nour-va-Sedaghat”, and he continued his secondary education in two Jewish schools named “Ettehād” (Alliance/Unity) and “Kourosh” (Cyrus).