One of the senior figures in Iran’s Jewish community, Hakham Younes Hemami, appeared at Tehran’s Revolution Square on Tuesday to pledge loyalty to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on behalf of the country’s Jewish population.
The ceremony was held publicly in the Iranian capital amid ongoing efforts by the regime to highlight the presence of religious minorities in the Islamic Republic. Critics have long argued that Tehran uses the Jewish community as part of a broader campaign to improve its international image, while community members have limited ability to refuse official demands or public appearances.
In recent days, Iranian Jewish institutions also hosted several foreign media outlets that were permitted by authorities to document daily life in Jewish communities across the country.
Speaking to the Iranian news agency Mehr, Hemami addressed an Israeli airstrike during the recent war that reportedly damaged a synagogue in Tehran. He said the incident demonstrated that “Zionism is hostile to the entire Iranian nation, whether a person is Jewish, Muslim, or Armenian."
Hemami also drew a distinction between Judaism and Zionism, saying Judaism is an ancient monotheistic religion with thousands of years of history, while Zionism is a modern political movement that emerged in the late 19th century with primarily nationalist characteristics. He accused Israel of attempting to portray itself as the representative of Jews worldwide.
He further criticized the strike on the synagogue, saying the attack showed a lack of respect for Jewish holy sites and places of worship in general. “Any place dedicated to the worship of God is sacred," he said, adding that “God is one and there is no difference between people."
Hemami thanked local Iranian officials for assisting in rescue efforts following the strike, particularly in recovering Torah scrolls from the damaged synagogue. According to him, provincial authorities personally supervised the operation to ensure the religious items were removed safely and without damage.
He said the incident reinforced the belief among Iranian officials and community leaders that Israel’s conflict is directed at the Iranian nation as a whole, regardless of religion or ethnicity. Hemami expressed hope that the damaged synagogue would eventually be rebuilt through continued cooperation with authorities.