Molotov cocktails were thrown on the ancient mausoleum of Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan, a key archaeological site in both Jewish and Christian history.
The assailants used incendiary materials, causing a fire at the tomb complex, raising concerns about the safety of not only the historic sites but the country’s Jewish community, the largest in the Middle East outside Israel amidst the world’s worst antisemitism since the Holocaust.
Around 10,000 Jews remain in Iran, one of the most ancient communities in Jewish heritage. They have long lived under the pressure of Iran’s shadow war with Israel.
The tomb of Esther and Mordechai holds significant religious and cultural importance, being the burial place of the Jewish wife of King Xerxes and a key pilgrimage site for Jews and Christians both within Iran and around the world. It is registered as one of Iran’s cultural heritage sites.
