TEHRAN - Hossein Sheikholeslam, an expert on international affairs who served as deputy foreign minister and ambassador for years, has said that Muslims must act based on the teaching of the Quran to maintain unity.

“All the Muslims believe in the Quran and teachings of the Prophet which are best ways to maintain unity in the world of Islam,” ISNA quoted him as saying in an interview on Sunday.

He also noted that Iran is the axis of resistance against hegemony and arrogant powers.

Iran hosted the 33rd International Islamic Unity Conference on November 14-16. It took place on the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Over 350 elites and figures from 93 countries participated in the conference. 

Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, secretary-general of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, along with 250 Sunni clerics from Iran attended the forum.

The conference was hosted by the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought.

Addressing the unity conference, President Hassan Rouhani highlighted the importance of following the Prophet to counter aggressions of the United States, the Zionist regime of Israel and regional reactionary countries against Muslims.

The Prophet brought a modern civilization for the world with his miracles of the Book, wisdom, ethics and politics, he said.

Rouhani also said Iran seeks “brotherhood” and “unity” in the region and vehemently dismissed claims by Israel and the U.S. that Tehran is seeking hegemony in the region, 

“The main privilege for us is following the Prophet. We do not seek to conquer any land or be like an empire. What we want in the region is brotherhood and unity,” he told participants at the Islamic Unity Conference.

NA/PA