On Thursday, Zarif slammed systematic and extensive violations of the Rohingya Muslims’ basic rights and denial of their citizenship, calling on the Muslim world to unite and support the minority group as part of their collective responsibility.
He made the remarks while addressing an emergency ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Iran’s top diplomat further took a swipe at world’s media outlets for their deafening silence on the persecution of the Muslims in Myanmar and deplored the international community’s inattention to the plight of the Muslims there.
He also urged the United Nations to mount pressure on the government of Myanmar over the issue.
In Myanmar, there has been a harsh crackdown against Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine state, where the minority group has suffered ethnic violence since 2012.
The Rohingya are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Some 125,000 remain displaced and face severe travel restrictions in squalid camps since Buddhists in Rakhine launched a campaign of violence against Muslims in 2012.
Also on Thursday, the Iranian minister held separate meetings with his Malaysian and Pakistani counterpart, Anifa Aman and Sartaj Aziz, on the sidelines of the one-day OIC meeting.
During the meetings, Zarif and his Malaysian and Pakistani counterparts discussed expansion of bilateral ties and issues of mutual interest.