The Jewish community in Iran has announced that the kever of Mordechai and Esther in the city of Hamadan has been closed to visitors until further notice, officially citing ongoing renovation work. However, sources familiar with the situation say the closure is actually the result of security threats from extremist groups.

In an unusual public notice, the Iranian Jewish community urged members of the community not to travel to the historic site.

The announcement stated, “To the members of our community: Due to ongoing repairs and improvements at the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan, visits to this holy site will not be possible until further notice.”

Until recently, members of Iran’s Jewish community were required to coordinate visits to the site through the Jewish Association of Tehran. The latest notice makes clear that even those arrangements have been suspended.

“Under the current circumstances, even such coordination is not possible until further notice,” the statement said. “Therefore, all members of our community are requested to refrain from visiting or traveling to Hamadan to the Tomb of Mordechai and Esther until further notice.”

Despite the official explanation, sources familiar with the matter told local media that the closure is not related to renovation work but to threats reportedly made by extremist elements. They pointed to the complete suspension of visitor approvals as evidence that security concerns—not construction—are behind the decision.

The tomb has been the target of anti-Israel demonstrations in the past. Two weeks after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, demonstrators gathered at the site, burned Israeli flags, and staged a protest that was reportedly led by extremist activists seeking to inflame anti-Israel sentiment.

The site was also attacked in April 2024, when Iranian extremists were filmed throwing Molotov cocktails toward the compound while a Palestinian flag was flown over the area.

Despite those incidents, local residents of Hamadan have generally continued to safeguard the historic Jewish site. According to reports, the threats and attacks have been carried out by a small group of extremists rather than by the broader local population.