TEHRAN – In a gathering titled "Melody in the Wounded Synagogue of Tehran," Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, emphasized that national solidarity remains the primary shield against external threats. 

Speaking at the Rafi-Nia Synagogue, located near Palestine Square in central Tehran on Thursday, the minister described the Iranian Jewish community as an inseparable part of the nation’s historical fabric, Mehr reported. 

“The presence of the Jewish community in Iran is not a matter of recent centuries; they possess a long lineage, history, and identity rooted in this land,” Salehi-Amiri stated, adding that Jews have lived in harmony and intimacy with their fellow citizens throughout history, the report added.

Addressing the recent aggression by the Zionist regime against religious sites, the minister argued that the attacks were motivated by vengeance against Iranian Jews for their unwavering loyalty to their homeland. 

“I believe the Zionist regime’s animosity stems from the presence of Iranian Jews within this geography. The attack on this synagogue was an act of retaliation against them,” he noted. He further condemned US strikes on educational centers, referring to the attack on Minab school that claimed the lives of 168 children and teachers, as a calculated move to "spread terror and demonstrate a lack of mercy toward both the young and old."

The minister emphasized that the Rafi-Nia Synagogue transcends its religious function. “This site is more than just a synagogue or a place for the Jewish community; it belongs to all Iranians and the world. Only those who have distanced themselves from humanity could target a mosque, a church, or a synagogue.”

Salehi-Amiri attributed the failures of foreign powers in the region to the spirit of empathy. “This solidarity is why the world’s largest military, with a budget of $1.1 trillion, has failed in Iran and is now exiting the region. We have witnessed that a resisting nation forced the Zionist regime to accept a ceasefire.”

During the ceremony, Salehi-Amiri conveyed a message of health and honor from President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Jewish community, praising their "noble and passionate love for Iran."

To preserve the memory of recent events, the minister proposed that a section of the reconstructed synagogue be converted into a museum. This space would house artifacts from the Iranian Jewish community and serve as a documented record of the Zionist regime’s crimes, ensuring that the history of resilience is never forgotten, he suggested.

US-Israeli strikes in central Tehran completely destroyed the historical Rafi-Nia Synagogue after an adjacent residential building was targeted. Footage from the scene showed sacred Torah scrolls and Hebrew books buried under the rubble, marking a devastating loss for Iran’s recognized Jewish minority. Homayoun Sameh, a Jewish representative in the Parliament, condemned the attack, noting that the aggressors showed "no mercy" by leveling the ancient holy site during the Jewish holidays.

SAB/