TEHRAN The oldest Armenian church in Tehran, Tadaous, reopened here yesterday at the presence of Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Ataollah Mohajerani, the Head of Armenian Prelacy of Tehran Ardak Manoukian and the Majlis represen The church, constructed in 1808, was the first Armenian and Christian church in Iran. With the cooperation of the Cultural Heritage Organization and the Armenian Prelacy of Tehran, the church will be open to visitor from now on.

The culture and Islamic guidance minister said at the ceremony that his ministry and the Armenian Prelacy are to conduct the renovation works of other Iranian historical churches which have an international credit. Due attention should be paid to the renovation of such historical buildings which are the cultural and national heritage of our country, he added. There are many tombs of foreign political and cultural figures in the court of Tadaous Church, the first and the only church belonging to Armenians at that time.

Among the late dignitaries buried in the church court were the son of Britain's special envoy to Iran Sir Valter Scotch, the prince of Georgia and Davoud Khan Tabib Nezam.