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SARAJEVO, July 10 (FENA) - Iranian Foreign Ministry special envoy Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian will address on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide this year to point out the need to pay tribute to the victims and condemn the horrific crime.
In an interview with FENA, he stressed that the message he will convey will be aimed at paying tribute to the souls of noble martyrs, expressing sympathy and solidarity with the survivors of the genocide and clearly condemning the crime, and will reflect Iran's continued support for the people and government of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He reminded that the official representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran participate in the marking of the anniversary of genocide in Srebrenica every year, and that in their addresses they remind of the clear positions of Iran.
The horrific tragedy of Srebrenica is the result of extremist nationalism and the ambitions of several irrational politicians who are reluctant to think logically, Taherian points out, noting that nations have had no problems with each other and have lived side by side for years.
“This and similar tragedies in the world must not be forgotten, but they should also not become a source of spreading hatred and animosity. Remembering means making an effort to persuade the world community to act so that we never again get a chance to witness such horrific events. We must keep the topic of genocide vital both because of the rule of law and because of humanity itself,” he said.
He stressed that Srebrenica is not an issue that can be forgotten or denied. Denial of the facts does not mean the disappearance of reality, and the survivors of the genocide, the descendants of the genocide victims, the mothers of the martyrs and the children of the victims are still alive, as are hundreds of eyewitnesses to the crime.
However, he added, in addition to politicians, lawyers and the international system, the media, artists and intellectuals also have an obligation to present significant events at the international level about what happened in Srebrenica, so that the repetition, denial and forgetting of genocide in history and future generations would be thwarted.
Ebrahim Taherian was Iran's first ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina and recalled arriving in Sarajevo on May 8th 1994 with a delegation led by the then Iranian Foreign Minister when a series of meetings were held in the BiH Presidency building.
The City of Sarajevo awarded him the status of Honorary Citizen in gratitude for his selfless contribution, but Taherian emphasizes that medals of merit and courage should be given to all citizens of Sarajevo who continued to live in the besieged city in the most difficult circumstances and who, even in the most difficult conditions, did not allow the City to surrender.
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran was the first embassy in besieged Sarajevo with a resident ambassador and a state flag in front of it.
“At that time, there were no special diplomatic protocols, so I was constantly on the move and met with BiH officials. I held meetings every day to coordinate arrival and distribution of the aid. Because of all this, my friends have granted me the status of Honorary Citizen and it is of inestimable importance. The status of Honorary Citizen is much more important to me as a symbol of gratitude of the people of BiH for the support of Iran,” he emphasized.
He also said that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a well-known name to the people of Iran who remember the events of the 1990s, and Iran is proud to be among the first countries to recognize the independence of BiH immediately after its proclamation and establish good relations.
As Ebrahim Taherian, the envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasized in an interview with FENA, Iran's foreign policy approach is based on selfless support for strengthening peace and stability in the Western Balkans and especially in BiH and emphasizing Iran's support for territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and coexistence of all ethnic and religious groups in BiH.
(FENA) A. B.
