Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, in a message congratulated everyone, in particular her Christian compatriots and followers of Jesus Christ all over the world, on the occasion of the birth of Christ and the arrival of the New Year. She wished that 2014 would be a year of peace, solidarity and prosperity for the region and the world and a year of freedom and democracy for the Iranian people.
Noting the intensification of the arrests and harassments of Christians by mullahs’ regime on the eve of Christmas and the New Year, Maryam Rajavi said: In the religious fascism ruling Iran, a number of church leaders, pastors and Christian compatriots are being tried on charge of “Acting against national security”. Church leaders are either imprisoned or subjected to various restrictions and controls. Last year, during these times, 50 Christians were apprehended merely for conducting ceremonies for the birth of Christ.
She stressed: The position and conduct of the ruling mullahs are contrary both to Iran’s culture, history and traditions as well as to the teachings of the true Islam. This is because Quran emphasizes that we do not regard any of the prophets as different. On this basis, “we recognize Jesus as our prophet too and we do not consider the path of Moses as different from that of Mohammad” and we consider their followers as our sisters and brothers.
Maryam Rajavi stated that inspired by the message of perseverance of Jesus Christ, in the last months of 2013, over 950 members of this resistance staged a hunger strike in Camp Liberty prison to Geneva, Berlin, Rome, Melbourne, Stockholm, London, Ottawa and Washington that continued for 108 days until almost the Christmas Eve.
She offered her gratitude to all Bishops, church leaders and honorable Christians for their support and solidarity this year with Camp Liberty residents and people and political prisoners in Iran and asked that on the days of Christmas celebrations they pray for the freedom of Ashraf hostages and all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Iran as well as for the Christians of Iran and other countries in the region who are in suffering and hardship.
Maryam Rajavi expressed hope that in the democratic Iran of tomorrow, in a republic based on separation of religion and state, all Iranian people, with whatever religion or belief, live side by side in freedom, peace and coexistence rid of any discrimination.
