His Royal Highness Prince Reza Pahlavi, in relation to his recent visits to sacred sites of various religions around the world, wrote on his official Twitter account:
"Among the main activities of my recent trips to Israel and Italy were visits to important religious sites and places of worship in Jerusalem, Haifa and Vatican City, with the aim of communicating to the public and to religious and political leaders that, from thousands of years ago, the ancient nation of Iran was a cradle of diversity and freedom for various religions and belief systems. Historically, the followers of different faiths in Iran worshipped freely and lived in peace and tolerance alongside each other. But from the moment that the Islamic Republic seized power in Iran, it targeted the lives and livelihoods of Iran’s Jewish, Baha’i, Christian, Zoroastrian, Sunni, Dervish, Yarsan and atheist communities, as well as the majority of Iranian Shias who opposed its repressive rule. In a future secular and democratic Iran, the rule of law will establish and guarantee freedom of religion as a fundamental right so that Iran can return to its roots as a nation where people of different faiths live and worship freely alongside each other."