TEHRAN--The Armenian community of Iran is not a minority, but a genuine and deep-rooted part of the Iranian nation, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri said during his visit to the Saint Sarkis Cathedral in Tehran on Tuesday,

Salehi-Amiri congratulated the Armenian community on the birth of Jesus Christ (PBUH) and said that equal enjoyment of dignity, security and citizenship rights are considered inseparable foundations of the religious and political thought of the Islamic Republic of Iran, IRNA reported. 

On the eve of the New Year, he stated: “My presence among you, in addition to paying respect, carries the greetings and message of the President to the great Christian community of Iran and the world.”

Referring to his personal experiences of social life alongside the Armenian community, he added: “The Armenian community of Iran is a noble, educated, culture-oriented and deeply-rooted society in this land. I always use the term great Armenian community; because Armenians in Tehran, Isfahan, the west of the country and all over Iran live in their own homes and enjoy equal rights.”

Explaining the religious foundations of this approach, he said: “In our epistemological system, which is based on divine revelation, the principle of human dignity has a fundamental place. Accordingly, there is no distinction between humans based on religion, ethnicity, race, color, gender or language, and any discriminatory thought is a departure from divine and human logic.”

Emphasizing the deep commonalities of divine religions and the principle of the inherent dignity of man, the minister said: “The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ (PBUH) does not belong only to the Armenian community; rather, it is a time of shared joy for all of us. In Islamic beliefs, the Virgin Mary (PBUH) holds a high position and a chapter of Quran is named after her. These are clear signs of our common religious roots.”

Salehi-Amiri continued: “Our presence in this holy place reflects a historical, religious and social commonality. We believe in peaceful coexistence not as a slogan, but as a grand strategy and a deep-rooted belief in the governance of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

He appreciated the historical role of the Armenian community in the country's critical moments and added: “The Armenian community of Iran has stood behind their homeland, Iran, during the Sacred Defense era and in all historical ups and downs; they have experienced sorrow and shared joy with the Iranian people. This historical companionship is considered a social and national asset for Iran.”

Referring to the growing trend of relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Armenia, he said: “Today, relations between the two countries are at a desirable and developing level. In the past year, the volume of Armenian tourists' travel to Iran has increased, and with the agreements made, land and air traffic between the two countries has been facilitated. These interactions will continue in order to deepen cultural, humanitarian, and tourism ties.”

Explaining the concept of justice in Islamic governance, Salehi-Amiri noted: “Justice means equal status of citizenship. In Iran, no citizen is superior to another because of their religious beliefs. From this rostrum, I express my gratitude to the Armenian community of Iran and ask you to convey the President's greetings to them; this celebration is our celebration and our presence today is a small contribution to your great joy.”

KD