Leader calls on Muslim ummah to put aside differences

The Leader made the remarks in an address to high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic and foreign ambassadors based in Tehran here on Saturday on the occasion of Id al-Fitr, which is the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

Commenting on the fact that various ethnic and religious groups live together in harmony in Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Over the past few years, the enemy has kept trying to shatter the complete unity of the Iranian nation by employing ethnic and religious incitement, but it has never been successful, and the Iranians have displayed their unity with their strong presence on many occasions.”

Stressing that political tendencies should not be allowed to cause discord, he stated that the axes of unity in Iran are the Islamic Republic, Islam, and the Holy Quran, and the Iranian nation has alertly responded to the plots to cause discord through political differences.

He went on to say that Iran’s 2008 parliamentary elections should be the scene of unity, rationality, and national wisdom.

“If the elections are held in such a way that each political party, in a constructive competition, gets its proportionate share, the elections can pave the way for national progress,” he observed.

“Since there is no unity among Muslims, the bullying powers interfere in various issues of Islamic countries, and under such circumstances, the U.S. Senate feels free to vote for the division of Iraq, while the issue has nothing to do with the U.S., and the Iraqi people and officials have expressed their opposition to it, and the Muslim world is also against it,” the Leader said.

He added, “The interference of bullying powers in the Palestinians’ affairs, under the pretext of holding a peace conference, is another result of the lack of unity among Muslims, and Islamic nations should stand together to show their power so that the U.S. and other nations do not dare to interfere in their affairs.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran defends its positions, especially on the issue of Islamic unity, and this is the reason for the hegemonic powers’ enmity toward Iran, but this enmity has so far been ineffective, and it will continue to be so in the future,” the Leader said.

U.S.-sponsored conference meant to rescue Zionist regime

During a sermon at the Id al-Fitr prayers on Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei warned that the upcoming U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference is only meant to rescue the Zionist regime.

“Every gathering held in the name of peace so far has been to the disadvantage of the Palestinian people. For this reason, the Palestinian nation rejects the (so-called) autumn conference, too. Then, how can other governments take part in a conference that the Palestinian nation regards as deceitful!”

Pointing to the “heavy defeat” suffered by the Zionist regime at the hands of the Lebanese Hezbollah last year, the Leader stated that the main aim of the U.S.-sponsored conference is to “rescue the weakened Zionist regime.”

He invited all Palestinian groups to “unity, brotherhood, and vigilance” and stressed, “The enemy is fomenting sedition in your homeland. Be vigilant and avoid standing against one another.”

Destroying the Palestinian people’s spirit of resistance is the aim of all the policies and actions of the Zionists, the Leader said.

He also praised the Palestinian resistance and noted, “The Palestinians and the Hamas government elected by them are standing despite all the pressure and know that Palestine must be saved by the Palestinian nation. And the Islamic ummah’s support for them will increase this resistance and steadfastness.”

He mentioned the efforts made by the U.S. and the Zionists to restrict Palestinians to a limited part of the occupied territories, that is the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and said that the enemies of Islam are trying to divert the world’s attention from the Palestine issue.

“However, the rallies held by nations on International Qods Day thwarted this vast conspiracy and gave hope to and rejuvenated the oppressed and isolated Palestinian nation.”

The International Qods Day demonstration, held on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan in Iran and various parts of the world, was established by the Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the late Imam Khomeini, to show support for the oppressed Palestinian nation and to express the Islamic ummah’s protest against the Zionist usurpers.

U.S. responsible for Iraq catastrophe

The Leader said that the U.S. and other occupiers are responsible for all the human and political catastrophes in Iraq.

Pointing to the fact that the U.S. occupiers are either unwilling or unable to restore security to Iraq, he stated, “The occupiers do not even allow the popular Iraqi government to respond to the crimes that have arisen from blind terrorism.”

This reality shows the occupiers support and approve of blind terrorism, and thus the U.S. and other occupiers are the main parties responsible for all the humanitarian and political catastrophes happening in Iraq, the Leader added.

Ayatollah Khamenei also congratulated all the world’s Muslims on the occasion of Id al-Fitr.

High-ranking civilian and military officials, including President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi Shahrudi, and Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, as well as ambassadors and envoys of Muslim countries attended the Id al-Fitr prayers.

BA/HG

END

MNA