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Iran converting church property into Islamic prayer hall

Grounds belonging to Chaldean Church illegally seized two years ago
Iran converting church property into Islamic prayer hall
Published: January 12, 2016 06:03 AM GMT
Updated: January 12, 2016 06:06 AM GMT

Iranian authorities are planning to transform illegally confiscated church property into an Islamic prayer center, the Assyrian International News Agency reported.

Land belonging to the Chaldean Catholic Church in Tehran was illegally confiscated two years ago under the pretext of constructing an Islamic prayer hall and authorities have refused to hand it back, a member of the regime's parliament was quoted as saying by the state-run newspaper Sharq.

Jonathan Bet-Kelia, the parliament member, said he questioned Ali Younesi, special assistant to President Hassan Rouhani for ethnic minorities affairs, about the matter and was told nothing could be done.

Under the banner of Shiite Islam, Tehran's ruling clerics have systematically suppressed people of different faiths and even denied the minority Sunni Muslim population their basic rights, the Assyrian news agency said.

On July 29, the regime also destroyed a Sunni prayer hall in the capital Tehran, the news agency said.

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