Iranians Complain Mosque Looks Too Jewish, AP Buries the Lede

As you can see from this picture of the mosque, there is nothing remotely Jewish about it — unless, that is, you’re a Jew-hater, and immediately label as “Jewish” anything you don’t like. That is not unexpected coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mullahs regularly repeat their hatred of the Jewish state and determination to destroy it. So it is not surprising that Iran’s media would call an unpopular mosque design “Jewish.” And it’s also not surprising that AP would completely ignore that aspect of the story.

“Iranians Complain Mosque Looks Too Jewish, AP Buries the Lede,” IsraellyCool, March 3, 2018 (thanks to Mark):

Remember when Iranian president Hassan Rouhani went out of his way to show how much he loves and respects Jews?…

Apparently, others did not get his “we are anti-Zionist-not-antisemitic” memo

This Iranian mosque design is angering hardliners for being ‘too Jewish’

A new “controversial” minimalist mosque, which departs from traditional early Islamic architecture is being condemned for ignoring tradition and subtly pushing ‘secular and Jewish influence’ into the country….

The new Mosque has angered hard-liners, who see it as part of a creeping secular onslaught on the Islamic republic. An editorial posted on the Mashregh news website compared the curvature to that of a Jewish yarmulke, accusing authorities of “treason” for approving it. The “completely neutral” design betrays an “atheistic approach,” it said.

Interestingly (or perhaps predictably), AP’s headline for this story sanitizes the controversy, leaving out the whole pesky antisemitism thing.

Iran’s new, modern 270,000 square foot mosque angers hardliners … because it has no minarets or dome…