Armenian-Catholic Church Censures US Sanctions

Armenian-Catholic church in Tehran issued a statement condemning US officials’ claims that minorities’ rights in Iran are violated as “biased”, expressing the concern of Iranian Christians over the illegal US sanctions. “Catholic Armenians, in line with the international community, express their concern over the imposition of new sanctions that affect all Iranians, including religious minorities,” the statement issued on Monday by the Armenian-Catholic church in Tehran said, Mehr News Agency reported. The members of the Catholic Armenian community in Iran will be affected by the cruel US sanctions against the country, like their fellow Iranians, the statement adds. It emphasized that the claims made by US officials vis-à-vis that rights of religious minorities are violated and there is a lack of freedom to perform religious rites are “biased and unfounded”. It adds that in Iran Catholic Armenians freely express their religious beliefs and perform their religious rites.  The statement called for peace and coexistence among the followers of different religions and preserving the country’s peace, stability and sovereignty.