TEHRAN — Rabbi Younes Hamami-Lalehzar said on Tuesday Jews are considered a part of Iranian culture and history.
The religious leader of Iranian Jews made the remarks during the third round of dialogue between Iran and Croatia underway in Zagreb.
The meeting focused on experiences in the field of religious dialogue between the Islamic Republic and Croatia.
Holding sessions on peaceful coexistence among monotheistic religions can lay the ground for progress in the spheres of society and culture, the rabbi said.
He said the history of the presence of Jews in ancient Iran dates back more than 2,700 years.
Given the long history and the special respect that Jews have for Iranians, the community has become part of the culture and history of Iran by creating very strong cultural and social ties with the nation of Iran, he said.
The community has gone through all the events in the country alongside their compatriots, he added.
Under the title of peace and peaceful coexistence among monotheistic religions, the first edition of the meeting between Iran and Croatia was convened in Zagreb in May 2009.
The second round of the event was held in Tehran in 2017. The latest round of the dialogue which kicked off in Zagreb on November 4 will wrap up today.