On Friday, the 29th of December 2006, Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad-Reza Sheibani, along with the embassy’s political advisor, visited the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate, where he was received by His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholics. During the half hour meeting, His Excellency Archbishop Der-Boghos Kousan and Father Nareg Louisian were present.

His Excellency the Ambassador, congratulated His Beatitude on both Christmas and New Year celebrations and talked about Armenians with great appreciation, in particular about the armenian community in Iran. He reassured that In Iran, armenians are the object of attention of the Iranian authorities. Therefore, the conversation went on about the ruling situation in Lebanon, as well as about the last week’s visit of Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, along with the Armenian delegate Kevork Vartanian, to His Holiness Benedictus XVI, the Supreme Pontiff at Vatican.

Afterwards, His Excellency informed about the many pressures that Iran is undergoing because of its nuclear weapon program, in spite of the fact that this will only serve for peaceful purposes and the welfare of the people.

His Beatitude wished the Ambassador success and congratulated him on Al-Adha feast, and expressed His gratitude towards the Iranian authorities for the considerate attention that they have shown for the Armenians, reassuring that the Armenians’ attitude has always been motivated by the utmost benefits of the countries they live in.