From the fire at the tomb of Esther and Mordechai to the memorial service for Ali Khamenei at the Jewish synagogue

The instrumental exploitation of minorities continues while the Islamic Republic's dual policy has restricted religious freedoms for years.

On Thursday, April 16, a memorial service for Ali Khamenei was held at the Jewish synagogue in Tehran, drawing attention once again to the Islamic Republic's contradictory behavior toward religious minorities. A government that has systematically subjected religious minorities to restrictions, security pressures, and social deprivation for years is now trying to exploit the presence of these same groups in certain situations to present a different face for itself.

While the Islamic Republic's government at times tries to present a tolerant image with displays such as: "Ali Khamenei's memorial service was held in the Jewish synagogue in Tehran," a review of past events reveals a different and critical picture. One notable example is the fire incident at the "Esther and Mordechai" tomb in Hamedan, a place that is considered one of the most important Jewish pilgrimage sites in Iran.

According to reports, the shrine was set on fire in May 2020, and the case was investigated by the judiciary, but no one has been arrested in connection with the fire. At the same time, there were reports that the act was likely intentional and that there were threats against the site, including threats by some groups in previous years to destroy the shrine in response to political developments.

Although some officials attempted to limit or downplay the dimensions of the incident and even deny damage to the original structure, the very occurrence of such an incident in one of the most important religious sites of the Jewish minority raises serious questions about the security and true position of these minorities in Iran's political and social structure.

This contradiction becomes even more pronounced when, alongside such incidents, the government at certain times tries to exploit the symbolic presence of minorities for propaganda purposes. On the one hand, there is a threat, indifference, or lack of transparency regarding attacks on religious sites of minorities, and on the other, the same minorities are presented in a controlled context as a sign of tolerance.

This dual approach raises serious questions about the integrity of official policies towards religious diversity in Iran. On the one hand, there are numerous reports of restrictions on religious activities, heavy surveillance, and structural discrimination against minorities, and on the other, in political or propaganda moments, these same minorities are presented as symbols of the government’s “tolerance.”

The ceremony held at the Yousefabad synagogue, while seemingly a sign of the Iranian Jewish community’s participation in an official event, cannot be analyzed in a broader context apart from the government’s macro policies. Many believe that such programs are more a targeted attempt to present a controlled and favorable image of the situation of religious minorities in the country than an expression of genuine coexistence.

Taken together, these events show that official policy is not based on abiding respect for minority rights, but rather on political and sectional considerations; an approach that, above all, highlights the instrumental use of religious minorities and deepens the gap between reality and the official narrative. This contradiction between words and deeds not only undermines public trust, but also hides the true situation of minorities in the shadow of official narratives, a narrative that, above all, has a political and theatrical function.