Iran: US State Dpt. report on lack of religious freedoms in Iran as "invalid"

"Such reports are instrumental, prepared and broadcast with the mere goal of piling up pressure on other countries," said Afkham.

Ruling out the claims of the report, Afkham said, "Growing Islamophobia in the US, systematic discrimination of Muslims and restriction on religious minorities' freedom in the American community has turned the country into one of the major violators of religious rights."

She touched on endless efforts of Washington to justify Zionists' heinous crimes and measures and said, "All-out support of the US for Zionist regime encouraged the Israeli leaders to perpetrate crimes against humanity in Gaza.

She said that the unbelievable restrictions on followers of other Abraham religions residing in the Palestinian occupied lands, especially all-out support for the war crimes and aggressions of the occupying regime in Gaza, have not left any validity for the US government so as to make any judgment and advise others on religious freedoms and rights.

The spokeswoman said the Islamic Republic of Iran's constitution explicitly calls for respecting all the divine religions and freedom to observe their rituals and ceremonies.

"Iran has always defended the freedoms explicitly mentioned in the Constitution and has put on its agenda the Islamic principles in defense of rights of followers of other divine religions and common values of divine religions ."

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