The oldest Orthodox church of the Russian Orthodox Church was robbed in Tehran

In Tehran, unknown assailants robbed the Nikolsky Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is the oldest Orthodox church in Iran and the only Orthodox cathedral in the Iranian capital. Venerated icons were stolen from the building; Russian diplomats called the incident sacrilege and urged the perpetrators to return the sacred objects.

According to the Russian Embassy in Tehran, the robbery took place on June 10, 2026. According to the Russian Embassy in Iran, the criminals removed revered icons from St. Nicholas Church. The diplomatic mission expressed deep bewilderment and distress over the incident, emphasizing that they did not expect to encounter people in the country capable of inflicting such an insult on the faith.

St. Nicholas Church holds special significance for Iran’s Orthodox community. It is considered the oldest Orthodox church in the country and the only Orthodox church in Tehran. Over the decades of its existence, the shrine has survived World War II, the Iran-Iraq War, and also remained intact during bombings by the U.S. and Israel. However, the church has now been damaged as a result of the actions of common thieves.

Russian diplomats have officially appealed to the thieves to return the icons to the church. “We ask those who have strayed from the path and committed this sacrilege not to burden their souls with sin,” the embassy stated. Representatives of the mission also expressed hope that those responsible will make amends for their actions and return the stolen relics.