Ankara: Trkiye is an exemplary country where everyone enjoys freedom of religion and conscience and mutual respect prevails, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday as he hosted representatives of religious minorities in the country for an Iftar dinner in Ankara. Addressing the event, Erdogan said religious communities can maintain their own institutions in Trkiye.

According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan expressed concern about the rise of Islamophobia, describing it as a threat to both people and the culture of coexistence. He equated Islamophobia with anti-Semitism, labeling both as crimes against humanity and evils that cannot be justified.

The president emphasized that Ankara has no tolerance for "Daesh/ISIS-like dark organizations that bomb mosques, churches, and synagogues indiscriminately, showing no respect even for places of worship."