Tehran is showcasing synagogue repairs and staged pledges of loyalty to cast itself as protector of Iranian Jews, but the community’s near-disappearance from public view raises questionsSince the outbreak of the war, the regime in Tehran has tried to portray Iran’s Jewish community as supportive of the government and its policies. Representatives of the community have appeared more than once before Iranian state media cameras, voicing unreserved support for the regime and attacking Israel.During Operation Rising Lion, Iranian media published footage of damage to the Rafie Nia synagogue in Tehran following an Israeli strike. The IDF later confirmed that it had carried out the strike, saying the target was a senior commander in the emergency command of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya forces. The military later expressed regret over what it described as “collateral damage” caused to the synagogue.4 View gallery Ezra Yaghoub Synagogue(Photo: Fars News)Since then, Tehran has sought to leverage the incident, emphasizing what it presents as the regime’s “protection” and “support” for the country’s Jews. On Saturday night, as part of that same propaganda line, the regime published footage of renovation work at another synagogue in the city, Ezra Yaghoub.Earlier, on May 16, Iran’s English-language Press TV aired a video report about what it called a “gathering near the Rafie Nia synagogue in Tehran to console Iran’s Jewish community.” The reporter stressed that the site, which was damaged in the war, “is not only a place of worship, but also a testament to the long history of peaceful coexistence and harmony among religions in Iran.”4 View gallery Renovation work at the Ezra Yaghoub Synagogue(Photo: Fars News)One woman interviewed in the report said: “As a group of civil activists in Tehran, we have come together to deliver the message of peace, friendship and deep-rooted coexistence in Iran.” Another interviewee added: “The damage to this place stems from the hostility of the United States and the Zionist regime toward Iran’s culture, identity and history.”The Iranian regime needs to show the world its “support” for the country’s Jews. Tehran wants to present the Islamic Republic as free of antisemitism and as a government that nurtures the Jewish community, while insisting that its opposition is directed only at Israel and “the Zionists.”The synagogue that was destroyed in Tehran