Iran's FM: Cooperation Sole Remedy for Muslim World's Troubles
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The settlement of the common threats facing the Islamic countries has no way other than cooperation, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, cautioning against divisive plots that aim to destabilize Muslim societies.
"We are all now facing the threat of extremism, violence in the name of religion, terrorism, sectarianism, radicalism, polarization and many other such economic and social problems," Zarif said Wednesday in an address to the 42nd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Kuwait.
He also warned that plots have been hatched to fan the flames of crisis and feud among Muslim countries in order to divert attention from the issue of Palestine.
"We definitely have no option but cooperation," the Iranian minister underlined, adding, "What has brought us together is much greater than differences that might exist among us.
"Our religion and our common fate have linked us together," Zarif told the Muslim officials in the conference.
He further warned that extremists are determined to destabilize each and every Muslim country.
"Divisive demagogues are neither Sunni nor Shiite. Let's not fall into their dangerous trap," he urged.
In relevant comments on May 4, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei cautioned against enemy plots that aim to incite discord among the Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
A person who fights against Shiites under the guise of support for Sunnis is indeed not interested in Sunnism or Islam, and a Shiite Muslim who fans the flames of zeal against Sunnis has no motivation to respect religion, the Leader stressed.
Pointing to the hostile plots against Islam, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to Britain's long experience in inciting religious discord among Shiites and Sunnis, and also a plan in the US Congress to support Sunni Muslim in Iraq.
"Do they really like Sunnis?" the Leader asked, adding, "They are against anything that has a sign of Islam and see no difference between Shiites and Sunnis, and issues like religion and ethnicity are excuses for them to foment discord."
