Mehr News Agency (MNA)
April 25, 2010 Sunday
Iran

TEHRAN, April 25 (MNA) — The Islamic Culture and Relations
Organization (ICRO) Mehdi Mostafavi announced that the organization
is ready to hold a joint literary festival of Iran and Armenia in a
border city in September.

Mostafavi met with the Center for Armenian Writers Director Leon
Ananian here on Saturday and they discussed several issues.

He pointed to the good relationships between the two nations, saying,
"We make our best efforts to develop our cultural relations with
other countries."

He also stressed that Tehran International Book Fair opening next week
can help boost cultural and literary activities in both countries,
adding, "The activities of the Center for Armenian Writers can
encourage our young writers toward increased mutual cooperation."

Mostafavi also talked about the religious freedom of the Armenian
nationals in Iran and said, "Freedom in holding religious ceremonies
and their good relations with Iranians indicate that Armenian nationals
enjoy the freedom to pursue their specific interests within Iran."

Leon Ananian expressed his interest in visiting the country and said
that they are willing to increase the number of Armenian cultural
centers in Iran helping their nationals become more familiar with
the rich culture of Iran.

He expressed his gratitude to Iran’s cultural office in Armenia,
and said, "I visited a few cities in Iran and became acquainted with
several Iranian cultural dignitaries. I am planning to write a book
on Iranian cultural figures in the future."