President Rouhanimade remarks while addressing scores of thinkers from around the world at an international Islamic unity conference in the Iranian capital Tehran on Thursday,
He called on all Muslims to unite against the "great conspiracy" of the enemies to destroy Islamic communities through sectarian wars. The president stressed that the ongoing bloodletting in Muslim countries is being orchestrated by major powers and the Zionists.
The president said also touched on some of the atrocities unfolding and being committed terrorist groups such as Takiri Daesh militants in Iraq and elsewhere.
"The aim of the enemies is to create hopelessness and destroy the opportunities of the Muslim communities," the president said, adding, "Big powers set up streams of blood in the streets of Mosul and destroyed this beautiful city. They took away sleep from Muslims and enslaved Muslim and Christian girls who were under the banner of a single government."
President Rouhani also blamed certain countries for the death and destruction in the Middle East, saying some Western powers supply arms to terrorist groups in the region, aiding and abetting them in their crimes.
"First and foremost, the sin related to these crimes befalls on big colonialists, Western powers and occupiers of the region which opened the way to terrorist groups, armed them and bought smuggled oil from them, allowing looted works from destroyed museums to be sold in their markets."The second culprits are some of the Muslim countries which gave money and weapons to terrorist groups."
The president called on Muslim thinkers to invite the youths to the true message of Islam. He also urged them to follow the path of divine messengers, culminating in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). "We must not allow the enemies of Islam to take away this capacity from us and destroy it or increase division and schism under various pretexts."
President Rouhani described Shia and Sunni Muslims as brothers in faith and following of the Qur'an and the traditions of the great prophet of Islam. "Shia crescent or Sunni crescent, both are wrong. It is not Shia or Sunni which are squared up against each other. As the late Imam (Khomeini) said it is rather the American Islam standing against the genuine Muhammadan Islam."
This comes as Tehran is hosting the 30th Islamic Unity Conference during the ongoing Unity Week. Over a period of the whole week, all Muslims from various sects come together to celebrate the birth of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) together.
As per a call made by the late Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini, the week is marked each year as a period of convergence among Muslims. Imam Khomeini undertook untiring efforts to promote unity, reconciliation and harmony among all Muslims