Iranian Assyrian MP Slams US Report on Religious Freedom

An Iranian Assyrian Christian lawmaker denounced an annual report by the US government on religious freedom in Iran for its falsification of facts, saying religious minorities in Iran are treated with much more respect than those in the US. In an interview with Tasnim, representative of the Assyrian Christians in the parliament Yonathan Betkolia dismissed US Department of State's report on religious freedom in Iran as totally untrue. "Religious minorities in Iran enjoy all necessary freedoms," he said, adding that non-Muslim citizens are treated with great respect in Iran. Christians and other religious minorities in Iran can freely perform their rites without any restriction, the lawmaker went on to say. Religious minorities, including Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians have representatives in the Iranian parliament. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly highlighted Islam's pacific attitude toward others, saying Islam has ordered Muslims to treat the followers of other religions with "fairness and justice."