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Iran has opened a new metro station in its capital named after the Virgin Mary.
The Holy Virgin Mary station, unveiled on Line Six in Tehran on Monday, 13th October, features Persian tilework, decorative lighting, and Christian iconography including stylised depictions of Mary.
Iranian officials said the name was chosen as a “symbol of respect” for Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is venerated in both Christianity and Islam.
Iranian state media described the naming as a gesture of cultural coexistence and shared images of the new station on Persian-language social media.
The station is located in northern Tehran, close to the St Sarkis Armenian Cathedral and neighbourhoods home to Armenian and Assyrian Christian minorities.
Iran’s Armenian Christian population is estimated at around 100,000.
Murals inside the station show Christian symbols alongside traditional Islamic artistic elements.
The Iranian Embassy in Armenia posted photos of the new metro stop, writing: “A beautiful sign of the coexistence of Iranians with the Armenian community and deep respect for all prophets and divine religions.”
Local media said the naming of the station was intended to challenge stereotypes in Western media that “Iranians don’t like Christians,” calling those portrayals “misleading.”
While many users online praised the move as “unexpected” and “positive,” others criticised it as symbolic, citing ongoing restrictions on religious freedom in the country.
Rights groups have long documented arrests, surveillance, and harassment of Christian communities in Iran, especially among converts and unregistered congregations.
One X user who said they live in Iran claimed the station was created “because the Islamic Republic is desperate,” adding that it was “trying to polish its global image and manipulate Western audiences – especially conservatives and religious figures like Donald Trump, who deeply respect the Virgin Mary and Christian values.”
Another post read: “Adding ‘Holy Mary’ to the name of a station that was supposed to be ‘Shahid Nejatollahi’ from day one is just a project to shut up the minorities. Don’t get too hopeful; in this country, respecting others’ beliefs and faiths is just for show.”
A municipal official at the opening said: “Mary is a figure respected in Islam as well,” emphasising the religious crossover.
International media outlets noted the station’s name as unusual for a Shi’ite Islamic republic and said it drew both domestic praise and criticism abroad amid heightened scrutiny of Iran’s treatment of religious minorities.
(Joe Golder/ newsX)
Byline Journalist: Joseph Golder
Byline Sub editor: Marija Stojkoska
Byline Spotter: Basant Essam
Byline Commisioning Editor: Mike Leidig
Byline Senior Writer: Joseph Golder
Byline Picture Editor: Zorica Stojkovik
Byline Copychecker: Angela Trajkovska
Byline Illustrator: Angela Trajkovska
Byline News Editor: Joseph Golder
Geography: Tehran
Subject: Religion, Society
T4 Editor Story Rating: 6
T4 Editor Pic/Vid rating: 6
T4 Total rating: 6
