IRNA � The Iranian religious minorities have the same civil rights as other people in the country and are totally free to do their cultural and religious activities, said an Assyrian member of Majlis (the Iranian Parliament) on Wednesday.

'Assyrians are one of the oldest residents of Iran that have lived alongside other people in the country in peace and with friendship,' said Yonatan Bet-Kolia in a meeting with Spain's Ambassador in Tehran Eduardo L�pez Busquets.

Referring to the ties between Iran and Spain, he said, 'Now, the grounds are ready to expand relations between the two nations that can lead to expansion of parliamentary ties as well.'

Bet-Kolia said that the divine religions all advise people to stay away from enmity.

'The military crises in the region are actually the consequence of the attempts by World Arrogance to dominate the world,' he stressed.

He also said that the people who claim they are the defendants of human rights had better follow the teachings of the prophets to lead the world to peace and tranquility.

The Spanish ambassador to Tehran, for his part, said that history of Iran is self-evident that the country has always welcomed people from different religions and shows that they have always lived in peace in the country.