Press TV - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has congratulated Christians all throughout the world on Christmas and the onset of the new Gregorian calendar year.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Zarif expressed his felicitations over the auspicious birth anniversary of the prophet of friendship and brotherhood, Jesus Christ, describing Christmas as a �wondrous occasion,� and wishing a �joyous, peaceful holiday season� for all Christians.

�Wishing my Christian compatriots, and all across our globe who are observing, a very Happy Christmas and a joyous, peaceful holiday season. The birth of Jesus Christ, prophet in Islam, is a wondrous occasion to celebrate,� the top Iranian diplomat wrote.

Also on Tuesday, Iranian administration's spokesman Ali Rabiei extended his congratulations to all Christians in the country, wishing �the best wishes� for them.

�I express felicitations on the birth of Jesus Christ, the messenger of peace and kindness,� Rabiei said in a tweet in Persian. �These days, mankind more than ever before needs to revive the teachings of Abrahamic prophets. Wish my Christian compatriots the best wishes from God.�

Christians constitute less than one percent of the Iranian population.

There are at least 600 churches and over 300,000 Christians in Iran, a predominantly Muslim country.