Iranian Armenians gathered in St. Sarkis Cathedral in central Tehran on Sunday to mark the April 24 which coincided with the 101st anniversary of what they believe to be the "Armenian genocide" by Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.
The Armenians who congregated inside and outside the church called on the Turkish government to recognize the Armenian massacre as genocide.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have also taken to the streets of Armenian capital Yerevan to mark the anniversary of Armenian massacre by Ottoman Turks during the World War I.
In a press conference on Sat., the Armenian archbishop of Tehran Sebouh Sarkissian criticized the Turkish government for not taking any affirmative action to recognize the genocide.
Sarkissian also thanked organizations and figures from other countries who show their support on the anniversary of the event, saying their support gives the Armenian community hope for the future and motivation to continue their efforts for achieving their rights.
Ankara estimates the number of Armenians killed between 1915 and 1917 around 300,000 to 500,000, as opposed to 1.5 million claimed by Armenians, and considers the massacre as the 'casualties' of World War I.
France, Russia, Germany and recently Brazil are among the countries which recognize the massacre of Armenians in 1915 as genocide.
MS
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