Holy Mary Metro Station a Symbol of Religious Coexistence: Tehran Mayor

IQNA – Tehran’s new “Maryam-e Moghaddas” (Holy Mary) metro station has been unveiled as a living symbol of mutual respect among religions, the city’s mayor says.

During the inauguration of the station on Line 6 of Tehran Metro, Mayor Alireza Zakani described the station not simply as an infrastructure project, but as a message of interfaith harmony.

He highlighted the role of religious minorities in defending the country and contributing to urban development — and said the station “is a symbol of respect for religions, peaceful coexistence, and the shared efforts of managers, engineers and workers to build up Tehran.”

Zakani reminded the audience — which included Christian representatives from parliament and other religious minority leaders — that Iran’s constitution recognizes the rights of religious minorities.

He noted that among the members of parliament are “five colleagues from Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians,” affirming their equal representation in the country’s religious-democratic system.

He added that the new metro station continues the constitutionally established rights and reflects the ethos of the Islamic Revolution.

He emphasized that Tehran’s model of interreligious coexistence is rare globally: unlike many places in the world, different faiths in Iran — Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians and others — have lived side by side in peace and mutual respect for years.

He referred to central Tehran’s multifaith district, where mosques, churches and Zoroastrian temples stand close to each other, as a real-world example of this tradition.

Inside the new station, visitors encounter Christian-themed artwork and the figure of Holy Mary, as well as visual and architectural elements inspired by church designs blended with Persian motifs.

City officials say the design aims to convey a message of friendship, love, and respect across faiths.

“This station is a reminder of the divine woman who awakened the world through purity and nurturing a great prophet,” adding that naming the station after her serves not only as a tribute, but as “a universal message of love, friendship and mutual respect for all humanity.”

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