RNA - Speaking in a meeting with the leader's envoy in West Azarbaijan Province and Friday Prayers Leader of Orumiyeh Hojjatoleslam Seyed Mehdi Ghoreishi on Saturday, Sako deplored war and bloodshed in the the region by Takfiris, and said Takfiris have waged war and bloodshed in Iraq and Syria in the name of Islam, massacring innocent people, Islamic Republic official news agency reported.
He said Takfiri groups are trying to tarnish image of Islam by their crimes but their plot will be thwarted.
The Assyrian leader said today in Islamic Iran, Christians and Muslims have peaceful co-existence and followers of both divine religions of Islam and Christianity are living in peace.
He said the Iranian people at large are thankful for the securing prevailing in their country and thank God for that.
Hojjatoleslam Ghoreishi said for his part that relations among followers of different religions in Islamic Iran are sincere and friendly.
He said West Azarbaijan and Orumiyeh have turned into a symbol of sincerity and for long Muslims and Christians in Orumiyeh have enjoyed sincere relations with each other as many churches are repaired by Muslims and many prayer grounds have been designed and built by Christians.
'Muslims and Christians are equal to us. In many ceremonies of Christians, Muslims, especially officials take part and Christians also attend many ceremonies of Muslims.'
The Hojjatoleslam referred to the brutal acts of the Takfiri groups and said Islam is the religion of mercy and passion and what the groups are doing is the plot of the global arrogance.
Meanwhile, Director General of the Culture and Islamic Guidance Department in West Azarbaijan Hojjatoleslam Mohammad-Baqer Karimi said that in the past years, Muslims and Christians have had sincere relations which are still continuing.
Karimi said during the eight-year Sacred Defense, Christians dedicated martyrs, thus showing their loyalty to Iran.
Also Christians have thus far played an effective role in economic growth and development of the country, added the cleric.
R111/108/C/