The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, has stated that in Iran the Christian community continues to celebrate freely in churches, while accusing Israel of trying to eradicate the presence of Christianity and Islam in the occupied territories.
In a post on the social network X, Ghalibaf announced that Palm Sunday masses were held in Tehran, Tabriz and Urmia, despite Israeli bombings that - according to him - have hit civilians.
He also published several photos from religious ceremonies in Iran, a day after the controversy caused by Israel's decision to ban the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from holding rites at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
“Before 1948, Christians made up 12.5% of the population in the occupied territories. Today they are only 1%. Zionism is trying to eradicate every trace of Islam and Christianity,” Ghalibaf wrote.
