Tehran Times
April 25 2005
Armenians commemorate massacre anniversary
TEHRAN (IRNA) — Members of the Armenian community in Tehran held a
rally Monday to commemorate the anniversary of alleged massacre of
Armenians by then Turkish government under Ottoman rule in 1915 in
Turkey.
The Armenians chanted slogans against the massacre, condemning the
carnage of Armenians on April 24, 1915 under Ottoman rule in Turkey,
the Public Relations Department of Iran’s Armenian Archdiocese said.
Armenia’s ambassador to Tehran, MPs representing Armenian community
and members of Armenian associations also took part in the march.
“The government of Turkey under Ottoman rule, in the aftermath of the
World War One, took advantage of chaotic situation, resulted as the
chaos of the war and adopted the policy of genocide against Armenians
to usurp their homeland,” said a statement issued by the Armenian
Archdiocese.
Armenian Archbishop Sibveh Sarkisyan called on the Armenian citizens
to make efforts for development of Iran.
He appreciated the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei for his sympathy with the Iranian Armenians, saying that
Armenians cannot forget the hospitality of the Iranian people who
sheltered the survivors of the 1915 tragic event.
The Armenian community in the central city of Isfahan also held a
similar march to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the massacre of
Armenians in 1915.
Holding placards in the Church of Vaanak in Isfahan, over 500
Armenians condemned the event in Turkey.
The Armenians living in 56 countries across the world commemorate the
anniversary of genocide of Armenians by Ottomans on April 24, 1915 in
Turkey.
The United Nations in a meeting in 1948 termed the slaughter of
Armenians as a genocide.
The central city of Isfahan and southern cities in Iran are home to
12,000 Armenians whose residence in Iran dates back to Shah Abbas of
Safavid dynasty.