WANA (May 18) – Hojjatoleslam Mohammad-Mehdi Imanipour, head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization of Iran, met with Metropolitan Kirill, Archbishop of Tatarstan, during his visit to Kazan, Russia. During the meeting, it was announced that Iran will soon host the next round of dialogue between Islam and Orthodox Christianity.

 

Metropolitan Kirill welcomed the Iranian delegation and gave an overview of the history and current state of interfaith relations in Tatarstan, describing Kazan as a prime example of peaceful coexistence among followers of different religions in today’s world.

 

Imanipour spoke about the twelve successful rounds of Islamic–Orthodox Christian dialogue held so far and expressed hope that the upcoming 13th round, to be hosted in Iran with Metropolitan Kirill leading the Russian delegation, will address contemporary societal challenges and propose effective ways for religion and spirituality to contribute to the emerging multipolar world.

 

He emphasized the need to reassess the role of religion in modern life, noting that Iranian scholars, in cooperation with experts from eight other countries across various regions, are already engaged in this endeavor. The findings, he said, will offer insight into how religion and spirituality can shape the evolving global landscape.

 

Imanipour further noted that religious leaders play a pivotal role in guiding their communities and embedding these values into the future world order.

 

Metropolitan Kirill agreed, pointing out that the modern world is grappling with deep-rooted identity and moral crises. He stressed the responsibility of religious figures to seriously engage in passing down spiritual and ethical traditions—particularly to younger generations—and to shield these values from current threats.

Islamic–Orthodox Christian Dialogue, Iran and Russia / WANA

Islamic–Orthodox Christian Dialogue, Iran and Russia / WANA News Agency

Imanipour also highlighted emerging global challenges such as artificial intelligence and bioethics, stating that religious communities must offer coherent responses to youth and the next generation. “By working together, we can benefit from the positive aspects of these developments while identifying and eliminating their harms,” he said.

 

He described the future of civilization as one shaped by religious teachings, a vision the Archbishop of Tatarstan praised as wise and forward-thinking. Metropolitan Kirill expressed his readiness for further cooperation and joint initiatives.

 

Toward the end of the meeting, Imanipour addressed the situation in Palestine and the crimes of the Israeli regime, stressing that it is the duty of all followers of divine religions to stand against the clear case of genocide and the displacement of Palestinians from their lands. He called for this issue to be a focal point in upcoming rounds of interfaith dialogue.

 

Metropolitan Kirill echoed the call, describing the actions of the Israeli regime as blatant human rights violations, in contradiction to the very values that the Western world claims to uphold.

 

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Meeting of Culture Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which was held concurrently with the 16th “Russia–Islamic World” Kazan Forum on May 15, 2025. In addition to his keynote speech at the event, Imanipour also held separate talks with several national representatives and prominent religious and cultural figures from Russia.