Ebrahimi, delivering a pre-sermon speech at Tehran Friday prayers, described the mosques as "the base for cooperation, worship and the place of God’s mercy throughout the world.”
He commemorated the start of the World Mosques Week and called for the promotion of unity among the world's mosques as what could reinforce solidarity among the Islamic Ummah.
“Naming a week in honor of mosques is one of the most valuable measures by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and this was based on a proposal initiated by Iran,” Ebrahimi said.
He stated that the organization had named the week to mark the anniversary of Reza Khan’s attack to the Goharshad Mosque and the Zionists' setting Al-Aqusa Mosque on fire on August 21.
The official further highlighted the need to train prayer leaders to manage the affairs of the mosques and also to help mosque servants earn their living.
Ebrahimi also stressed that government should expand their ties with mosques.
“We hope that the government would consider the problems that face mosques today and devise the required solutions in the fourth five-year Economic Development Plan (2005-2010),” he said.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the official said that mosques had an important role during the first years of the Islamic Revolution and also throughout the imposed Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88.
Ebrahimi also pointed to the necessity of establishing an international news agency on mosques which has been suggested by Iran.
“Such a news agency is essential for the connection between Islamic countries and world mosques,” he said.
HL/AA/SM
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MNA