ASIA/IRAN - For Iranian Christians: to participate in the elections is a "national duty" and a "sign of belonging to the people"

Tehran (Agenzia Fides) - The Iranian Assyrian Christians, like those of other confessions, perceive that the participation in elections scheduled for them today is a "national duty" and also "an important sign of their belonging to the people of Iran". This is why "their participation in the elections is expected to be high, in line with that of other members of the population". Thus, in recent days, the Christian Jonathan Betkolia, current representative of Assyria in the Iranian Parliament, described the prevailing approach in which Iranian Christians place themselves before the appointment of the election date, the first after the removal of international sanctions that had affected Iran in retaliation for the development of its nuclear program.
In the large Asian Country the vote will be held to elect two central bodies of the national institutional system: the Parliament and the Assembly of experts, which is responsible, among other things, to elect the Supreme Leader, the most important political and religious figure of the Country.
Christian minorities in Iran (75 thousand Armenians, 20 thousand among Assyrians and Chaldeans) are reserved 3 seats in Parliament (2 for the Armenians, one for the Assyrians). Another seat is reserved for Jews (who in Iran are 25 thousand) and one to Zoroastrians. "Democracy" stated Armenian Christian MP Karen Khanlari, representative in Iran's parliament - is a universal value that can only be practiced in accordance with the culture and traditions of each Country. In Iran, the exercise of democracy is configured and articulated in the context of the teachings of the Shia religion. This deeply rooted democracy in this religious humus guaranteed, in the election of President Rohani, a turnout of more than 80 percent of eligible voters". (GV) (Agenzia Fides 26/02/2016)

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