The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei received a large group of officials and executives of the Islamic Republic on Friday, April 6.
The meeting, which was convened on the auspicious birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his household) and Imam Ja'far-ibn-Muhammad as-Sadeq (greetings be upon him), was also attended by the ambassadors of Islamic countries posted to Tehran and a number of foreign guests participating in the International Conference on Islamic Unity.
Speaking at the meeting, the Leader felicitated the audience and the Iranian nation and all the Muslims throughout the world on the auspicious occasion.
Ayatollah Khamenei further referred to the revival of Islamic identity among Muslim nations and described their Islamic awakening as an undeniable reality. He underlined the preparedness of the Islamic world to tread the path of dignity, independence and scientific progress.
"Today, the most urgent requirement of the Islamic world is unity and solidarity, which is the real remedy for all the problems that are currently being faced by Muslims. Therefore, Islamic scholars and intellectuals should draw up an Islamic unity charter as a historic and momentous necessity," Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic pointed out that human beings are indebted to the mercy and blessings of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his household). He also referred to the fact that mankind is in need of the teachings of the Holy Prophet, since his teachings provide the path to the salvation of mankind and prepare the ground for the administration of justice and the establishment of noble human values in society.
"The Islamic world, through its new perspective on the religion of Islam and by adhering to the teachings and lifestyle and words of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household), can be the vanguard of human movement toward prosperity and perfection," the Leader noted.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that in view of the Islamic awakening of Muslim nations and the revival of genuine Islamic principles in Islamic communities, the enmities of the arrogant powers against Islam have also become more extensive and more serious and more organized, since the awakening of the Islamic world has posed a great threat to the arrogant powers and the global domineering system.
"Another reality of the present world is that contrary to their material calculations and their media propaganda, the seemingly powerful camp of arrogant powers has been vanquished by the great Islamic movement in their confrontation," Ayatollah Khamenei observed.
The Leader of the Islamic Republic cited the failure of the plots hatched by the arrogant powers headed by the United States for the Middle East region, especially for Palestine and Iraq and Lebanon, as the clear evidence of the above reality. He also underlined the importance of Islamic unity and solidarity for the continuation of the Muslim ummah's forward movement toward victory.
"It is the arrogant powers' policy to create ethnic and religious disputes among Muslims, and it is necessary to bolster up the unity and solidarity of the Muslim ummah in order to counter this policy. This is the reason why the current year has been designated as the Year of National Unity and Islamic Solidarity", the Leader told the audience.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to misconceptions and misunderstandings as well as the lack of adequate knowledge about basic beliefs and principles as the major obstacles to Islamic unity. He added that Islamic governments and Muslim scholars are able to play a pivotal role in promoting Islamic unity and solidarity.
"The drawing up of an Islamic unity charter by the Islamic scholars is a historic requirement, and if this responsibly is not carried out today, we will be criticized by the coming generations," Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
The Leader further stated that the arrogant powers, in their confrontation with the Muslim ummah, hold the same attitude toward all Muslims, no matter they are Shia or Sunni.
"Considering that the arrogant powers are presently trying to tarnish the image of Muslims, as they regard the Islamic awakening of the Shia and the Sunni as a threat to themselves, and are targeting Islamic groups, including the Palestinian Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah, is it wise for Muslims to engage in ethnic and religious disputes and forget their common enemy?" the Leader asked.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the unity of the Islamic world is in the interests of both Muslim nations and Islamic governments.
"Islamic governments should try to get closer to one another, and if they rely on their own nations and their inherent power and capabilities, they will be much stronger than when they rely on American politicians," Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
The Leader of the Islamic Republic also pointed out that the Islamic Iran has presented its experience of resisting the arrogant powers and relying on Almighty Allah and depending on its own power and capabilities. He stated that despite all the pressures and various plots over the past 28 years, the power of the Iranian nation has steadily increased, and that the Iranian people have made constant progress.
At the beginning of the meeting, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated the audience on the auspicious birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his household) and Imam Ja'far-ibn-Muhammad as-Sadeq (greetings be upon him).
President Ahmadinejad described the Holy Prophet as the paragon of noble human values and virtues and a real model for the entire humanity. He said that if Muslim nations had followed this prominent and perfect model in every aspect of their lives, today they would be enjoying power and dignity in the world.