Raisi: Defending human rights is basis of Iran’s internal, external policies

TEHRAN, Jul. 22 (YPA) – The Iranian President-elect Ibrahim Raisi on Wednesday said that the defense of human rights is the basis of his country’s internal and external policies.

The Tasnim International News Agency quoted Raisi, in a phone call he received from the Vatican Prime Minister, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, as saying: “I believe that according to the teachings of the Abrahamic religions, Iran and the Vatican should stand by the oppressed peoples of the world and against oppressive forces.”

Raisi added that Iran’s policy of “supporting the oppressed Palestinian people and fighting the Zionist occupation, defending the Yemeni people, fighting Takfiri terrorism in Iraq and Syria, and protecting followers of the Christian faith in Iraq is rooted in our religious principles that support human rights.”

The Iranian President-elect stressed the importance of consultation and dialogue among the Abrahamic religions in order to bring about real peace and lasting calm in the world.

“Iran, as a religious government with popular sovereignty, welcomes any cooperation and dialogue between the Abrahamic religions, especially Christianity,” he said.

He pointed out that the efforts made by the martyr Qassim Soleimani in fighting terrorism and saving the lives of Muslims and Christians from the clutches of criminal terrorists will never be erased from the pages of history.

Raisi described terrorism and embargo as tools for arrogant forces to impose repressive policies.

For his part, the Vatican Prime Minister congratulated, in this call, the Iranian president-elect on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha, and said: “The Eid al-Adha can be considered the day of interaction between the Abrahamic religions as a basis for consultation, opinion-sharing and interfaith dialogue.”

YPA