August 2, 2013 - Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, today issued the following statement:
“Canada remains deeply concerned by Iran’s persistent and pervasive persecution of religious minorities.
“Ayatollah Khamenei’s latest hateful comments against the small Bahá’í community in Iran once again show the true intentions and sentiments of the Iranian regime. His call urging Iranians to avoid interacting with this peaceful segment of Iran’s population can only further inflict damage on the persecuted Bahá’í community.
“The Bahá’í in Iran have long suffered because of the deliberate hatred directed toward them by Iran’s leadership. This targeting of the Bahá’í and other religious communities is an ill-conceived attempt to divert the attention of Iranians away from the regime’s domestic failures.
“As a leading defender of religious freedom around the world, Canada once again urges the regime in Iran to live up to its human rights obligations and to respect the voices, thoughts and beliefs of all Iranians.”
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