TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday criticized lack of a serious determination to contain terrorism, urging all “who hold sway over international powers” to find a solution to the scourge.

“Fighting terrorism requires serious determination of all of those who hold sway over international powers, and all intellectuals of the world, governments, and honorable powerfuls should think and act to find a solution to this phenomenon,” Leader told visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinistö. 

The Leader also rapped opportunistic governments for their cost-benefit approach toward the issue of terrorism, saying, “These governments calculate all issues on the basis of their own interests and are not thinking about uprooting the disease of terrorism whether in Iraq or Syria.” 

Ayatollah Khamenei further rejected defining terrorism in terms of links to unofficial circles, highlighting that some governments are committing terrorist acts, as well.  

“Terrorism should not be taken to mean terrorist acts committed by unofficial groups only, and the mass killings of people at the hands of certain governments similar to the Saudis’ attack on the people in a mourning procession in Yemen, which left hundreds dead and wounded, are also the worst type of terrorism, and there is still no serious determination to confront such acts after the passing of a year and seven months,” the Leader emphasized.

Referring to Iran’s stance on the Syrian crisis, the Supreme Leader said, “America and some other countries insist that the Syrian government has to change, this is while to end the war, the initiator and agents of warmongering should be introduced.” 

The Leader then underscored the importance of implementing agreements signed between Iran and Helsinki over the past months as well as those during the presidential visit, saying, “The memoranda of understanding between the two governments should be implemented, and their non-implementation will leave an improper reflection on the people’s mind. 

During the meeting, which was also attended by President Hassan Rouhani, Mr. Niinistö expressed satisfaction over his visit to Tehran. 

Hailing his negotiations with Iranian officials as successful, Niinistö said four memoranda of understanding were signed during the visit. 
The Finnish head of state gave assurance that the agreements will bear fruit.

He also referred to the developments over the past ten years and the spread of terrorism across the world, saying terrorism has emerged in wider scopes and has displaced hundreds of thousands of human beings, including mothers and children, in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. 

President Niinistö concluded his remarks with reminding the key role of Iran in the region and hailing Tehran’s efforts in fighting terrorism. 

AK/PA