Khamenei calls for Muslim world to confront ‘real enemy’

TEHRAN, Aug 30: Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Sunday called on Muslim countries, particularly those in the Gulf, to unite against the United States and Israel, warning that divisions among Muslims served the interests of their enemies.

In a written message issued during Islamic Unity Week, which marks the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, Khamenei said the "enemy" sought to exploit racial, cultural, political and geographical differences to create discord among Muslims.

"The solution to the problems of the Islamic nations is unity of words, friendship, and cooperation on the path of goodness," he said, according to his official website.

"Anyone, in any position, who does anything that leads to division among Muslims and creates conflict in the Muslim community, knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally, has served the purpose of the enemies of Islam," he added.

Khamenei specifically urged the rulers of regional countries to "recognise your real enemy, understand its plan, and confront it", referring to the United States and Israel.

"The criminal rulers of America and the fake Zionist regime are sworn enemies of this unity and friendship," he said, accusing them of hostility towards the wider Muslim community across West Asia and North Africa.

He questioned whether Palestinians would have been left "so helpless" in the face of Israeli occupation and what he called its crimes if Muslims had been united.

Addressing Gulf states, he also asked whether countries around the Persian Gulf would allow outsiders to covet their lands and resources if their peoples and governments were united "under the flag of Islam."

The call for unity comes after months of heightened tensions between Iran and its Gulf neighbours. During the conflict, Tehran targeted US military facilities in several regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

Relations between Iran and some of those states have since deteriorated further.

Khamenei also called on Iranians to put aside internal differences and protect social cohesion, echoing a message he issued on Friday in which he said actions that harm national unity were prohibited.

He has also urged Iran to gradually reduce its reliance on the US dollar and increase domestic production as the country faces the economic impact of sanctions and the conflict.

Khamenei has remained largely out of public view since becoming supreme leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed at the start of the war on February 28. Authorities have so far released no video or audio of him in public.�"AGENCIES