Iran claims synagogue in Tehran was ‘completely destroyed’ by US-Israel strike

JTA – Iranian state media claimed on Tuesday that a synagogue in Tehran was “completely destroyed” by a United States-Israel strike. 

The claim was impossible to verify. Footage of the alleged attack on the Rafi Niya Synagogue posted online showed open Hebrew prayer books scattered among the rubble of a building. 

The synagogue was damaged when a nearby residential building in Tehran was attacked, according to Iranian news agencies. The Rafi Niya Synagogue is located near Palestine Square, an epicentre of the Iranian regime’s anti-Israel propaganda. 

The United States and Israel have been bombing sites in Tehran for more than a month since launching a war on the Islamic Republic regime. Israel emphasised that it does not target religious sites. 

Homayoun Sameyah Najafabadi, the only Jewish representative in Iran’s Parliament, condemned the attack in a video published by Iran’s official IRIB News outlet. 

“The Zionist regime showed no mercy towards this community during the Jewish holidays and attacked one of our ancient and holy synagogues,” Najafabadi said. “Unfortunately, during this attack, the synagogue building was completely destroyed, and Torah scrolls remain under the rubble.” 

About 8 000 Jews live in Iran and worship in dozens of synagogues. The war has exacerbated their delicate position, as they are technically granted freedom of religion but face peril if they demonstrate any connection to Israel or dissent against their government. Hundreds of Iranian Jews who have applied for refugee status because of religious persecution are trapped in the country after the United States halted refugee admissions. 

The alleged attack came one day after the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted footage of an undetonated missile on a street, writing that an “Iranian regime missile struck next to a mosque in Israel”. 

“A regime that targets civilians and sacred spaces of all religions has no red lines,” the ministry wrote in a post on X. “Nothing is off limits for them.” 

On Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement about the alleged damage to the Rafi Niya Synagogue. “Iran is firing missiles at civilians, Israel is striking terror infrastructure,” it said. “Missiles on civilians versus precision strikes on terror targets. That’s the difference.”