Representatives of the Jewish community in Iran visited the home of former Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani on Sunday to express their condolences for his death in a US airstrike early Friday.
The Jewish leaders, as well as representatives of some of the other religious minorities in Iran, expressed their regret over Soleimani's demise.
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Hours after Soleimani was killed, the Jewish community issued a statement that unequivocally condemned the US action, apparently to create a distinction between the Jewish religion and Zionism, and possibly to avoid being targeted in retaliation.
Video: RadioRan
"God will avenge the blood of Soleimani," the message declared.
According to the Israeli religious news website Bahadrei Hadarim (bhol.co.il), it reported that visitors to Soleimani's home included Chief Rabbi of Tehran, Yehuda Gerami.
Rani Amrani of Israel's RadioRan, which broadcasts in Farsi, explained that it was "very important to minorities [in Iran], especially the Jews," to condemn Soleimani's death.
"They're afraid of anti-Semitism and being targeted. Often, during the protests [against] Jerusalem Day, the Jews go out and take part for fear of being attacked. In their hearts, they love Israel. They are in a situation in which they have to prove they have no links to Zionism," Amrani explained.
Zoroastrians,Jews,Christians & Muslims visited #QassemSoleimani's house in Tehran to pay their respects to the martyred commander of the IRG.
A country of multicultural & mutli-religious background that respects its leadership.Unlike a nation we know.
Via https://t.co/tl0xTUgqJe pic.twitter.com/ev3BmCpEzB— Marwa Osman || مروة عثمان (@Marwa__Osman) January 5, 2020
Marwa Osman, an Iranian journalist, posted an English-language tweet pointing out that "Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians, and Muslims visited #QassemSoleimani's house in Tehran to pay their respects to the martyred commander of the IRG."
Osman said this was a sign that Iran was "a country of multicultural & multi-religious background that respects its leadership."
