FARS News Agency, Iran
December 30, 2013 Monday
Archbishop: Iran Symbol of Peaceful Coexistence among Divine Religions
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Archbishop of Isfahan province and Southern parts of
Iran Babken Charian underlined that religious minorities enjoy
different kinds of freedom in Iran.
Archbishop Charian said that the Armenian community of Isfahan
province and Southern Iran enjoy full freedom in their cultural,
social, religious and educational activities, the Islamic republic
news agency reported. Earlier this month, Head of the World Assyrians
Forum Yonatan Betkelia praised Iran’s respect for religious
minorities, and said minorities in Iran enjoy the same rights that
Muslims do. Betkelia, who is the representative of the Iranian
Assyrians and Chaldeans at the parliament, said that the United
Nations resolution regarding violation of religious minorities in Iran
is a completely political move for which the world Christians attach
no credibility. He stressed that religious minorities in other parts
of the world did not enjoy as much freedom of action as religious
minorities do in Iran. He said Iran has provided every ground for
friendly coexistence and decent life for the religious minorities. In
relevant remarks in March, the Iranian lawmaker ruled out pressure or
discrimination against religious minorities in Iran, and stressed that
freedom of speech in its true sense is prevalent in Iran. “Freedom of
speech is a basic principle which is heeded in our country to such an
extent that religious minorities like other social strata discuss
their issues and problems through this principle of democracy,”
Betkelia added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress