Cleric warns against West's plot to divide Shia and Sunni

January 2, 2007 - 0:0
TEHRAN (IRNA) -- Tehran's Substitute Friday prayers leader Ayatollah Emami Kashani warned Muslims against plots made by the West to sow discord among the Shia and Sunni.

"The enemy is preparing a massive plan for the Islamic world and for the entire region," said the cleric addressing the worshipers at Tehran University campus.

He stressed that after the Western states were obliged to admit the defeat of their policies in Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan, they have decided to set up new plans.

"Shia-Sunni division is a dirty lesson taught by the world arrogance in Muslim countries," Ayatollah Kashani said regretting that the lesson was used by some of the Muslim states. The cleric urged Muslims countries to stay united and close their ranks further in order "to disappoint enemies of the Islamic world."

Referring to adoption of the anti-Iran Resolution 1737 by the United Nations Security Council, the ayatollah said that West has "falsely portrayed Iran as a country which threatens international security by developing nuclear weapons."

"Those who produce atomic arms and kill other human beings by giving such arms to other countries are now accusing Iran of developing nuclear weapons," Ayatollah Kashani said.

He added that the West was to question Iran's political and economic place by introducing it as threat to the world security.

"Iran is committed to its international obligations and favors negotiations," said the cleric reassuring that Tehran was not pursuing any program to develop nuclear arms.

However, he stressed, Iranian nation would not give up its efforts to achieve its scientific goals. Stressing that the issue of Iran's peaceful nuclear activities was politicized, the cleric said "it is now considered as a cold war."