The Tehran Jewish Committee has published an unusual statement instructing members of the Iranian Jewish community to completely avoid visiting the tomb of Mordechai and Esther in Hamedan.
According to the official statement, the site was immediately closed to the public until further notice due to "ongoing repair and improvement work at the complex."
Until recently, community members were required to coordinate any visit to the historical site in advance with the community leadership in Tehran. However, the newly published statement makes clear that "under the current circumstances, even this coordination is impossible." Therefore, the community is asked not to travel to the city at all.
Despite the official narrative, which claims maintenance work, sources with knowledge of the issue claim that the true motive for the site's closure is security concerns stemming from credible threats by extremist elements in the country.
The main fear is of harm to visitors or the structure itself, especially given that entry has been banned in a blanket manner without the possibility of obtaining special permits.
This is not the first time the tomb complex has been at the center of tensions. In recent years, the site has become the target of several protests and acts of vandalism against the backdrop of the security situation in the Middle East. Two weeks after the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war, a demonstration was held at the site during which an Israeli flag was burned. In April 2024, extremists were also documented throwing Molotov cocktails at the compound after raising a Palestinian flag there.
Local sources note that most residents of Al-Madam actually help protect the holy site, and that the attacks are carried out by fringe extremist groups seeking to inflame hatred.