Tehran: Iranian President Dr.Hassan Rouhani decried the US for treating other countries as its slaves, calling on Muslim nations to join hands, stand against Washington and safeguard freedom.
In an address to the 2018 edition of the International Islamic Unity Conference, which opened in Tehran on Saturday, Rouhani said the US government seeks to treat Middle East countries like slaves.
Surrendering to the US and the West would be treason against Islamic values and Muslim generations, the Iranian president warned, saying capitulation to the US would be tantamount to rolling out the red carpet for criminals.
Pointing to the dire conditions that the Middle East is now facing, Rouhani said, “The situation in Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq is not what the Islamic community is expecting.”
Stressing the need for collective efforts by Muslims to follow the teachings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), safeguard dignity and protect freedom, the Iranian president said, “What the US is now after is slavery. They (Americans) say the whole world must think in an American way and respect American values.”
“We say that all people are free, and… that the bullies cannot choose the path for us,” he added.
Touching on the US president’s insult to Saudi Arabia and Trump’s comments that Washington is milking Riyadh for money by selling arms, Rouhani added, “We are ready to make every effort to protect the interests of Saudi people against terrorism and superpowers, in the same way that we helped the people of Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.” It is shameful and unfortunate that Saudi is involved in Yemen crises and US is using them as tools to kill innocent yemenis.
Emphasizing the need for Muslim unity, Rouhani underlined that Iran deems the people of Saudi Arabia and the region as its brothers.
The 32nd edition of the Islamic Unity Conference kicked off in Tehran on Saturday morning with representatives from 100 countries in attendance.
The conference is held annually on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in an effort to lay the ground for stronger unity and solidarity among Muslims and provide appropriate solutions for their problems.