Unlike what certain foreign analysts and foes claim, the sublime victory of the Islamic Revolution did not divide followers of divine religions and religious minorities from the mainland, but the Revolution turned them into an inseparable part of the Iranian nation.
Following his arrival in Iran on February 1, 1979, Imam Khomeini addressed Iranian religious minorities that all Iranians are like “one hand.” Thus, he ruled out divisive approaches, underlining the need for respecting followers of divine religions.
Followers of the divine religions have not been prevented from performing their religious rites. They have even provided with a better environment to hold their rituals.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has also paved the way for learning native and local languages at special schools for minorities.
***Iran example of unity among followers of divine religions
The Islamic Revolution created a roadmap for maintaining the rights of religious minorities, which led to unity, solidarity, and empathy among followers of divine religions and religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Assyrians, Armenian Iranians, Shias and Sunnis.
Marnersay Benjamin, Archbishop of the Eastern Assyrian Church, told IRNA that Imam Khomeini’s Islamic Revolution doctrine caused empathy and solidarity among followers of divine religions.
Numerous visits by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei with families of Christian martyrs of the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran indicate that the establishment respects followers of divine religions, Benjamin said.
According to the archbishop, based on the doctrine of the Islamic Revolution disputes among tribes and followers of divine religions is morally forbidden and the Iranian parliament approved a law that prohibits insulting values of divine religions.
The Islamic Republic assures freedom of religion, the security of holy places, the dignity of spiritual figures and economic activities of religious minorities, he added.
Loudrick John, an Armenian-Iranian researcher from Orumiyeh, said that the Islamic Republic is the first system that has stood up against the desecration of other religions when the Zionist regime has repeatedly mocked divine religions and their sanctities.
Stanley Simmons, head of the Assyrian Association of Orumiyeh, told IRNA that religious minorities took part in different periods of the Islamic Revolution and sacrificed themselves in the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran war.
Paylak Sahak, former chairman of the Armenian caliphate of Azarbaijan province, dismissed negative propaganda, noting that followers of divine religions enjoy freedom in conducting their rituals and are living a peaceful life in the country.
1424
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