Christian MPs protest Panahian's insult and belated apology in rare protest

Christian representatives of the parliament demanded accountability in response to Panahian's insult to Christianity, but Panahian's apology was made after public pressure and official follow-up.

In days when the gap between the Iranian government and society seems deeper than ever, the reaction of Christian representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly to the insulting statements of Alireza Panahian, the speaker of the Supreme Leader's residence, has become an unprecedented and meaningful action; an action that is considered not only a religious protest, but also a sign of the political and social concern of religious minorities in the current tense atmosphere in Iran.

Following the publication of statements by Alireza Panahian that insulted Christianity, three representatives of the country's Christian communities, including Armenians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans, in a coordinated and joint action, sent an official letter to his office, demanding a clear explanation and response to these statements.

Ara Shavardian, a representative of Armenian Christians in Tehran and the north of the country, confirmed in an interview with the Armenian newspaper "Alik" that the letter was jointly prepared and that no official response had been received from the refugees by the time of publication. He also announced that the Christian representatives had conveyed their deep concerns to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly; a meeting in which Ghalibaf promised to follow up on the issue.

Emphasizing the need for mutual respect between religions, Shavardian said: "In a situation where important meetings will be held in the coming days centered on dialogue between monotheistic religions, such statements are not consistent with the overall approach of the country and the official policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

According to the representative, the Christian community will use all its legal capacity to pursue this issue, a move that many see as a conscious effort to distance itself from the prevailing extremist discourse and maintain the social and political security of religious minorities in an uncertain future.

After the protests escalated and Christian representatives formally pursued him, Alireza Panahian was forced to react and finally apologized to Iranian Christians; an apology that many consider to be belated and the result of public pressure.

The story goes back to a speech on February 11, 1404, where Panahian, in response to criticism from one of the attendees about the economic situation, said in a harsh tone: "We brought a nonsense Christian religion here and Islamicized it, saying that the mosque is only responsible for morality."

The release of the video of these remarks sparked a wave of anger and criticism among Iranian Christians and social media users. In response, Panahian called the video “truncated” and claimed that his remarks were published selectively. He said: “We, the mosque-goers, have special respect for all divine prophets. Sometimes, in the name of criticism, remarks are made that may seem audacious.”

He added: "If this has offended my dear Christian compatriots, I sincerely apologize and hope they will forgive me."

Panahian also emphasized the "convergence of divine religions" and stated that he has always believed in the unity of Islam and Christianity and awaits the advent of the Messiah for a free and just world.

However, many observers believe that this apology is more a result of official pressure from Christian representatives and society's growing sensitivity to ideological insults, rather than heartfelt belief; insults that, in today's critical circumstances in Iran, could fuel deeper social and religious divisions.

The action of the Christian representatives of the parliament, meanwhile, sends a clear message: "Religious minorities are no longer willing to pay the price for the extremism of the official discourse, and the previous silence has given way (albeit limited) to protest and demands."