Christian Citizens Gather in Stockholm to Protest Masoud Pezeshkian’s Presence at the United Nations

Christian citizens residing in Stockholm staged a gathering in protest of Masoud Pezeshkian’s presence at the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, addressed the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly last Tuesday, September 24. In his speech, he said: “Last year, the faithful president of my nation, Ibrahim Raisi, spoke to you from this same platform. He was martyred in the service of the Iranian people. May his soul rest in peace. Now I am speaking to you for the first time from the position of the presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our people chose me at the ballot box based on the central slogan of national reconciliation. This slogan is in accordance with the command of God Almighty in the Holy Quran.”

In his remarks, referring to the mission of the prophets and the promotion of justice in society, he added: “The mission of all prophets has been to establish and promote justice and fairness in society among all humans, regardless of color, race, gender, and language. Peace and security will not be established in the world unless the rights of all humans, societies, and nations are respected within the framework of justice and equity.

Now the question is: Is the cause of the wars and bloodshed occurring in today’s world anything other than that aggressors have violated the rights of others, ignored the rights of nations, practiced discrimination and inequality, kept groups in weakness and backwardness, and disregarded the rights of others?

As long as injustice, oppression, greed, poverty, and ignorance prevail in a region, wars and bloodshed will continue. Until we address the roots of these disorders, we cannot save our children’s future from darkness and destruction.”

Masoud Pezeshkian, while referring to his success in the presidential election by the people, added: “I entered the electoral campaign with a program based on reforms, national reconciliation, constructive engagement with the world, and economic development, and succeeded in earning the trust of my compatriots at the ballot boxes.

I intend to lay the foundations for my country’s entry into a new era and constructive and effective role-playing in the emerging global order. I will remove obstacles and challenges and reorganize my country’s relations based on the requirements and realities of today’s world.”

In his remarks, he referred to the Israel-Gaza war over the past year and continued: “The people of the world have witnessed the true nature of the Israeli regime over the past year. They have seen how the leaders of this regime commit crimes and in eleven months have shed the blood and killed over 41,000 innocent people in Gaza, mostly innocent women and children; yet they call genocide, infanticide, war crimes, and state terrorism ‘legitimate defense!’ and they call hospitals, kindergartens, and schools ‘legitimate military targets!’ Israel has also assassinated our scientists, diplomats, and guests in our land and has supported ISIS and terrorist groups, both openly and covertly.

In contrast, Iran has supported liberation and popular movements whose four generations have been victims of crimes and colonialism by the Israeli regime. We stand alongside the people of your countries who are demonstrating in the streets against Israeli actions and condemn crimes against humanity. The international community must immediately stop the violence and establish a lasting ceasefire as soon as possible, and Israel’s mad brutality in Lebanon must be stopped before it sets the region and the world ablaze.”

He also added regarding the establishment and sustainability of peace: “The only way to end the seventy-year nightmare of insecurity in West Asia and the world is to restore the right of self-determination to the Palestinian people. We propose that all Palestinian people, both those currently present in their homeland and those forced to leave their homes, determine their own future in a universal referendum. We believe that through such a mechanism, a lasting peace can be achieved. Only through this way can Muslims, Jews, and Christians live together in a single land in peace and away from racism and apartheid.”

Christian citizens residing in Stockholm gathered in front of the Swedish Parliament yesterday in protest of Masoud Pezeshkian’s presence and his speech at the United Nations General Assembly meeting. Addressing Masoud Pezeshkian, they said: “Mr. Pezeshkian, you are the president of the Islamic Republic regime, not the majority of the Iranian people. How can you speak of peace in the world when the regime’s proxy forces are one of the most important causes of war and insecurity in the region.

When the Islamic Republic executes several people every year and imprisons thousands, and crushes every protest with an iron fist, you have no place in the United Nations. You cannot cover up the crimes of the regime.”

In this gathering formed by Christian citizens in Stockholm, a number of non-Christian political activists in Stockholm also joined the protest.