Swiss bishops' group meets Christian, non-Christian leaders in Iran

Published: 2006-04-25

ROME (CNS) -- No matter how the international dispute over Iran's nuclear program is resolved, the problem of religious rights for non-Muslims will remain, said the spokesman for the Swiss bishops' conference. Mario Galgano, the spokesman, was part of a 10-member delegation from the bishops' Islam Group invited by the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization to spend a week in Iran meeting politicians, Muslim leaders and representatives of the Christian and Zoroastrian minorities. Members of the Islam Group making the trip included bishops' conference employees, representatives of the Swiss Foreign Ministry and a Protestant minister. While Iran's nuclear program has been dominating the news, Galgano said, "For us it was very important to focus on religious issues." Speaking by telephone from Switzerland April 25, he said, "We could get lost in the political problems, but even if things are resolved in the best way, questions about the Christian minorities in Iran and Muslim minorities in Switzerland will remain."

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