AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Coordinated by the Cultural Chancellery of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Russian Federation, the esteemed cleric Varlam Dolsky, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church (St. Nicholas) in Tehran, met with Kazem Jalali, Iran's ambassador. During the meeting, they expressed condolences for the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution and a number of compatriots in the aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, and discussed the bombing of the Orthodox Church in Tehran and humanitarian aid efforts.
The meeting was also attended by Masoud Ahmadvand, the Cultural Attaché; Zahra Rashidbeigi, the Deputy and Cultural Attaché of Iran in Russia; and Alina Sherbaniova, a cultural activist from the Russian House in Tehran. Kazem Jalali, Iran's ambassador to Russia, referring to the accounts of the priest of St. Nicholas Church in Tehran about the countless crimes of the United States and the Zionist regime in Iran, said, "You were in Iran during the most difficult times and witnessed firsthand the courage, bravery, and endurance of the Iranian people, as well as the peak of crimes and brutality of the American and Israeli armies."
He added, "The attacks on schools, mosques, churches, medical centers, and civilian infrastructure, and the bombing of the Shajareh Tayabeh School in Minab, are among the greatest crimes in history committed by the aggressors."
The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia, stating that the great lesson of the aggressors' crimes in Iran showed how much the world needs moral education and a return to God, said, "God sent the Abrahamic religions to refine and save humanity. This belief in religion must move from the tongue to the hearts. Unfortunately, most people claim religiosity with their tongues, while their actions contradict their beliefs."
Jalali described the documents obtained from Epstein Island as a clear example of the rule of corrupt and anti-human governments and stated, "The disgusting affairs of that island proved why the most morally upright people should govern humanity. We are glad that today the voice of humanity and morality can be heard from some scholars, mosques, and churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church."
He condemned the attacks on churches and places of worship, especially the Orthodox Church in Tehran, saying, "These crimes have exposed the nature of the aggressors and shown that they cannot tolerate places of worship."
Priest Varlam Dolsky of the Russian Orthodox Church also expressed condolences to Iran's ambassador. Referring to his presence during the Ramadan imposed war in Iran and witnessing the crimes of the United States and the Zionist regime, he said, "The admirable courage of the Iranians caused the prestige of some world leaders to shatter. This courage and steadfastness have not yet been evaluated as they should be and must be studied by experts in the future to serve as a model for freedom-seeking countries."
The priest of St. Nicholas Church in Tehran then provided an account of the bombing of this church by the United States and the Zionist regime during the Ramadan imposed war, saying, "The aggressors bombed this church and its surrounding houses twice over two weeks, causing damage to the church, my home, and other buildings nearby."
Appreciating the Iranian contractors for quickly rebuilding the church, he added, "After the bombing, we requested Iranian contractors to rebuild the damaged sections, and they fully cooperated and carried out the reconstruction of this church without charging any fees."
Stating that the bitter events of the war days brought the hearts of the two nations closer together, he acknowledged, "Adjacent to the Orthodox Church in Tehran, we have a nursing home that the aggressors also bombed. I witnessed firsthand that under bombardment, those responsible for caring for the elderly did not flee and continued to fulfill their roles."
Priest Varlam Dolsky referred to the close cooperation of this church with the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, considering it a factor in bringing the Russian and Iranian nations closer.
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