TEHRAN Iran's former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, here Saturday described the United States as leading a fight of earthly values against heavenly ideals and demanded Iranians to unite and be vigilant.

"Today in the world, the heavenly and material values have stood up against each other. The chief of one rank (the material values) is America and that of the other is faithful and devoted humans," he told worshipers at the Eid al-Adha prayers.

"Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, America has been thinking that it has no rival except faithful humans. That is why (President George W.) Bush calls for a crusade," Rafsanjani said in reference to the U.S. president's recall of the medieval time battle between Christians and Muslims.

He invited the Iranian nation to maintain their unity and avoid internal disputes, beside "Adjust our moves so that we prevent from giving pretexts to the global arrogance."

"U.S. has bred a spite against us since the (Islamic) Revolution ejected Americans from a country which they considered as their secure home. That is why we must remain vigilant," Rafsanjani said.

The United States is currently practicing a "dangerous policy", which has led to widespread frustration around the world, notably in Europe, Rafsanjani said in reference to American President Bush's good-versus-evil dichotomy.

"A discord has broken out between the European Union and the United States over the issue of Palestine and 'axis of evil'... one can say that America has now none of its friends along its side bar Israel," the prominent cleric was quoted by IRNA as saying.

His statements were in reference to Bush's last month state of the union address, in which he branded Iran as part of an "axis of evil" along with Iraq and North Korea.

"The astounding speech of the American president at the Congress sent shell-shocks around the world and provoked international disagreement," Rafsanjani said.

U.S. accusations and its "unilateralism", he said, have roots in the country's domestic problems.

"Unfortunately, they (the American leaders) think that the country's situation will get better if they spread the crisis outside the U.S., but they are making a big mistake."

Rafsanjani also criticized Washington's policies in the Palestinian issue and its unflinching support for the Zionist regime.

"The American statesmen think that they can solve issues relating to Palestine through repression. This approach, however, has backfired and they have lost their friends even in the Arab and Islamic world," he added.

The U.S., Rafsanjani said, is trying to mislead the world public opinion with "deceitful rhetoric, sloganeering and distort."

"America killed hundred thousands of people with atomic bombs in Japan, while the blood of Vietnamese victims drip from its fangs and claws. It was also the U.S. which bombarded the Afghan people," he added.