The Iranian hard-line website "Seratnews" says that Tehran's Revolution Square is nowadays covered with hundreds of Stars of David and that the central square has been "conquered by the Zionist regime."
The website claims that the "stars" are part of a newly built monument at the square.
"Seratnews" has posted visual aids and photographs of the monument on which it has superimposed a blue outline of one of the "stars" to back its claim.
The website says that the "flashing" of the Star of David on the monument became clear to people as the monument was being completed.
"There is a flower with five petals in the middle of the [monument]. But the flower is surrounded by triangles that are laid next to each other and they've created hundreds of Stars of David that have covered the [monument] at Revolution Square!"
The website says it is unclear whether the transgression should be attributed to "ignorance" or "carelessness" on the part of the artist who designed the monument and of officials in charge -- or whether it was done "intentionally."
"Seratnews" adds that as a result a "sinister symbol" is standing in the "strategic heart" of the Iranian capital.
That would be a real embarrassment for a regime that doesn't recognize Israel and whose leaders -- particularly its president -- use every opportunity to launch verbal attacks against the Jewish state.
Yet it's clear that the hard-liners angered by the monument are taking their own artistic license.
We asked a woman in Tehran who had driven around the square recently about the monument. She said she had noticed simply "another ugly work" and hadn't paid attention to the details. It would be "funny" to have a Star of David in the middle of Tehran, she added.
The "Seratnews" report bears striking resemblance to a report posted on July 25 on a hard-line blog called "Antimosalasizm" that also quoted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as saying: " Wherever in the world the Zionists want to build a building, they try to somehow make sure the sinister symbol of the Star of David is on it. Their political work is also similar."
"The Guardian" reported in 2008 that Tehran was "furious" after an advertisement for a peace plan featured the Iranian flag and the Star of David.
-- Golnaz Esfandiari
The website claims that the "stars" are part of a newly built monument at the square.
"Seratnews" has posted visual aids and photographs of the monument on which it has superimposed a blue outline of one of the "stars" to back its claim.
The website says that the "flashing" of the Star of David on the monument became clear to people as the monument was being completed.
"There is a flower with five petals in the middle of the [monument]. But the flower is surrounded by triangles that are laid next to each other and they've created hundreds of Stars of David that have covered the [monument] at Revolution Square!"
The website says it is unclear whether the transgression should be attributed to "ignorance" or "carelessness" on the part of the artist who designed the monument and of officials in charge -- or whether it was done "intentionally."
"Seratnews" adds that as a result a "sinister symbol" is standing in the "strategic heart" of the Iranian capital.
That would be a real embarrassment for a regime that doesn't recognize Israel and whose leaders -- particularly its president -- use every opportunity to launch verbal attacks against the Jewish state.
Yet it's clear that the hard-liners angered by the monument are taking their own artistic license.
We asked a woman in Tehran who had driven around the square recently about the monument. She said she had noticed simply "another ugly work" and hadn't paid attention to the details. It would be "funny" to have a Star of David in the middle of Tehran, she added.
The "Seratnews" report bears striking resemblance to a report posted on July 25 on a hard-line blog called "Antimosalasizm" that also quoted Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as saying: " Wherever in the world the Zionists want to build a building, they try to somehow make sure the sinister symbol of the Star of David is on it. Their political work is also similar."
"The Guardian" reported in 2008 that Tehran was "furious" after an advertisement for a peace plan featured the Iranian flag and the Star of David.
-- Golnaz Esfandiari
