Iran Raps Myanmar for Continued Violence against Rohingyas

In a statement on Friday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi strongly criticized the Myanmar government for turning a blind eye to warnings and demands by other countries, international organizations and the world public opinion, which are calling for an end to acts of violence against the Rohingya Muslims.

“Unfortunately, every day that passes, the crisis becomes more complicated, the sufferings of the refugees increase and the responsibility of countries and international organizations becomes heavier, and more importantly, the chance to stop the crisis and make up for the ensuing damage is lost,” he noted.

“Such a complicated situation can turn the current circumstances into one of the worst human disasters of the current era,” Qassemi said.

“Despite giving awareness, warnings and demands by countries, international organizations, officials and the world public opinion, we are witnessing that the Myanmar government is disregarding the international community’s demand, which is unacceptable.”

“We believe that no action should annul the Myanmar government’s responsibility to stop the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims, and no action should be used as a pretext to further aggravate the crisis and prevent the dispatch of the international community’s humanitarian aid to the crisis-hit areas in the country,” the spokesman added.

“Iran was among the first countries to react to the crisis based on its human and ideological responsibility. At least two letters sent by the Iranian foreign minister to the UN secretary general, several telephone conversations and contacts between the Iranian president and foreign minister and heads of Muslim states and their foreign ministers, bringing up the issue with the other parties in all meetings the Iranian president and foreign minister held in Tehran and New York over the past month, sending humanitarian aid provided by the Iranian nation to the refugees in Myanmar and Bangladesh as well as efforts by Iran’s local and international media to mirror the harrowing situation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have been only part of the Islamic Republic’s political and diplomatic efforts to help settle the crisis and allay the sufferings of the Myanmarese refugees as soon as possible.”

From the outset of the fresh wave of crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, said Qassemi, the Myanmar government has been repeatedly asked to allow an Iranian delegation led by the deputy foreign minister along with humanitarian aid to be sent to that country; however, despite the promises made, it has not been possible to make the arrangements to that end.

Qassemi then referred to the Bangladesh government’s admitting the influx of Myanmarese refugees.

“The move by Bangladesh is invaluable from a humanitarian perspective, and the international community, including countries and international circles and all NGOs should, along with Bangladesh, act with more seriousness and better organization and make more effective efforts to stop the displacement of Rohingya Muslims and help send more aid to them and take care of their situation,” he concluded.