Mrs. Rajavi paid homage to the memories of Chrisitan Bishop Haik Hovespian-Mehr and Pastor Mehdi Dibaj and Bishop Tateos Michaelian who were brutally murdered by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry. She also commemorated the memories of Christian combatants in the ranks of the PMOI and National Liberation Army of Iran, Yarom Sataghian and Philip Youssefieh, who gave their lives in the struggle against the regime. Mrs. Rajavi said that the Iranian people have, regardless of their religion, lived for centuries in peace and friendship with Christians and followers of other religions and love and respect them very much. It was Khomeini and the ruling clerics now who have mercilessly attacked Christians and followers of other religions and discriminate and disrespect them and limit their way of life, and their religious education and practice.
Mrs. Rajavi regretted that in the extremely repressive circumstances since Ahmadinejad has taken office, a Christian compatriot was stabbed to death in Gonbad Kavoos and ten others were tortured. She noted that the clerical regime’s president has lost no opportunity to threaten the followers of Judaism. However, she said, true Islam is a religion of mercy, tolerance and peace and does not allow discrimination and injustice.
The President-elect of the Iranian Resistance said in 2004, the representatives of hundreds of millions of Christians in different parliaments voiced support for the Iranian people’s resistance and denounced illegitimate deals between various governments and the regime in Tehran and also condemned accusations made against the Resistance movement of terrorism.
She added that contrary to the clerical regime, whose very inhuman nature and structure is entwined with religious discrimination and the violation of the rights of Christians and the followers of other religions and beliefs, the platform of the National Council of Resistance of Iran rests on rejecting religious discrimination and oppression and prohibits any discrimination with respect to the followers of different religions and denominations in the enjoyment of individual and social rights. The NCRI platform emphasizes the separation of religion and state and “the freedom of religion and denominations” and considers the prohibition of any type of enquiry into the beliefs of others to be a “necessity for respecting human dignity” of all. The platform calls for respect for all religions and denominations and stresses that “under no circumstance is any religion or denomination recognized as possessing special privileges or rights, rejecting all forms of discrimination against the followers of different religions and denominations.”
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 25, 2004
