Ayatollah Khamenei accused the US and other Western countries of actively plotting to destroy Islamic civilization.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned against US plots to “destroy thousands of years of Islamic civilization” by “sowing discord among Muslims.”
“One of the main tools used by the enemies to prevent the birth of modern Islamic civilization is through creating divisions among Muslims,” Khamenei said on Tuesday, addressing a meeting with Muslim scholars and Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, who attended the 29th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency.
Khamenei reiterated his claim that “the Americans are against the principles of Islam” and said “no one” should be deceived by their statements in support of some sects. “The statements of the former US president ([George W. Bush] who after the September 11 [Islamic terror attack in the US] spoke about the war of the crusades, in fact, indicated the war between the arrogant world and Islam.”
Ayatollah Kahmenei addresses Muslim scholars. President Rouhani sits to his right. (Fars News)
Iran’s top leader noted that the statements of the current US officials who claim to be in agreement with Islam are untrue and show their hypocrisy. “The present US officials are against the principles of Islam and unlike their statements they are after fomenting differences among Muslims, and its example is creating terrorist groups like Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Sunni the Islamic State terror organization) and other groups that have been created through the funding of the US affiliates and their political aids; they [the American officials] have caused the recent tragedies in the Muslim world.”
Khamenei pointed to the statements of an unnamed US politician who had said that Islamism is the enemy of the US, and said, “The Shiite or Sunni does not make any difference for the Americans; they are against any Muslim who wants to live in accordance with Islamic rules and make efforts to that end.”
Khamenei claimed that the main American problem with Muslims their loyalty to the decrees and of Islam and their efforts to establish Islamic civilization. “It is for the same reason that when the Islamic awakening started they grew worried and tried to contain it and they even succeeded in some countries, but the Islamic awakening cannot be destroyed and it will achieve its goals God willingly.”
“We should not remain silent and surrender to this plot, rather they should stand against these plots insightfully and by maintaining their resistance,” Khamenei declared.
Khamenei underlined that the enemies of Islam “are very dangerous and everyone is duty-bound to be vigilant and insightful.” It was the duty of Muslim scholars to educate the masses on these dangers, he said.
This theme of a global clash between Islam and the West is a recurring one in Khamenei’s addresses. He has repeatedly warned of the US’ influence in the Middle East and has worked to thwart further warming of ties between Iran and the West in wake of the nuclear deal signed with the Islamic Republic in July.
