The tragic story of the destruction of the Ali Shah Citadel in Tabriz, ordered by Sheikh Moslem Malekouti, the then Friday Prayer Imam, was due to the presence of the Lion and Sun Theater hall located within the historical grounds of the citadel

Postscript on the recent memories of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani regarding Sheikh Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari's grievances about Ayatollah Khamenei, which has a history related to that time.

💢 Apparently, according to Hashemi's notes, the Leader of the Islamic Republic opposed the construction of a prayer hall on the grounds of the Ali Shah Citadel in Tabriz, but this matter was carried out and implemented.

The Ali Shah Citadel in Tabriz, located in the most central point of this historical city, was built in the sixth century Hijri during the Mongol era. This magnificent structure, which had a large and magnificent mosque at its southern end, was compared to the Arch of Khosrow. The architecture of this citadel is considered one of the most unique works of the Mongol period in Iran.

During the Qajar period, the citadel was used as an ammunition depot, and in the wars between Iran and Russia, the commander of the Iranian forces, Abbas Mirza, led the battle from there.

The citadel was also a stronghold for freedom fighters during the Constitutional Revolution, and until its destruction, a significant part of it had been a place for the oppressors.

Due to its beauty and importance, this building was one of the first to be registered as a cultural heritage in 1931 and was declared national.

But read on for the continuation of this tragic story…

After the revolution, based on the recommendations of Sheikh Muslim Malekouti, the then Friday prayer leader of Tabriz, the construction of a Friday prayer hall next to this historical citadel was proposed and examined, and he took the very strange step of ordering the demolition of the citadel!!! He declared that the prayer hall should be built in this area.

This order faced significant opposition due to the special security conditions in Tabriz and the province, as well as in Tehran, due to the registration of the citadel in the list of historical monuments. Opponents referred to the confirmation of the registration of the Ali Shah Citadel just days after the revolution and demanded that the Friday prayer leader’s request be halted. However, the main intention of the Friday prayer leader was to demolish the Naja School and the شیر و خورشید (Lion and Sun) Theater in the historical grounds of the citadel, which were among the first modern schools and the first theater in Iran.

Ultimately, despite all the opposition and protests, parts of the great historical citadel were demolished with explosives and bulldozers, and the construction of the prayer hall began.

Further examination indicates that the demolition began on December 26, 1981, with the bulldozer, and on February 9 of the same year, 80% of the eastern wall of the citadel's entrance (entrance, staircases, and place for the anteroom) was drilled with a compressor, and each time, 26 kilograms of TNT were detonated, completing the demolition and the will of Sheikh Muslim.

With the entry and multiple strict measures of the then Organization for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, a part of the citadel's wall and the adjacent mosque remained beside the prayer hall in this city.

Now, what other intention Sheikh Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari had, which was also discussed in a one-on-one meeting between Hashemi and Ayatollah Khamenei, remains unclear for now.

-Abdollah Abdi