Iranian officials congratulate Lebanese counterparts on christmas, new year

Iran's foreign ministry and parliamentary officials in separate messages felicitated their Lebanese counterparts on the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ and the start of the new Christian Year. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message on Wednesday congratulated his Lebanese counterpart Adnan Mansour on Jesus Christ (PBUH) birthday and advent of the new Christian year. Zarif expressed the hope that the world would see peace and friendship in light of the auspicious occasion of Christmas. Also, Chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi in a separate message to the head of Lebanon’s National Parliament’s Foreign Policy and Expatriate Commission felicitated the Christmas. The message reads that like the other prophets, Jesus Christ invited humanity to salvation in light of justice, resistance against tyranny and campaign to observe the divine values of peace and friendship. Boroujerdi said that the Jesus Christ (PBUH) guided humanity to peace, freedom, welfare and prosperity. In his message, he said that the Iranian parliament is ready to promote cooperation with the Lebanese legislature. Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December 25 by millions of people around the world.