A newly released video depicts Molotov cocktails being thrown on the ancient mausoleum of Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan during the early hours of Tuesday, 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 world’s only Jewish state and archenemy of Iran.
The governor of Hamadan claimed that through surveillance footage, the perpetrators have been identified though it remains unclear who was behind the attack.
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.
Social media has been abuzz with various interpretations of the attack. Many users speculate that the Iranian regime and its supporters may be behind the incident, viewing it as a form of retaliation for recent tensions with Israel including an alleged strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
Some have taken a sarcastic tone, mocking the incident as the "tough revenge" for the consulate attack. They have criticized the destruction of national heritage as a misguided attempt by the regime to express anger towards Israel.
