The Leader: Normalizing ties with Israel, great sin and mistake

“These governments should reverse the move, which goes against Islamic unity and should make up for their great mistake,” Ayatollah Khamenei said on Sunday during a meeting with participants in the 35th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, which is held every year on the birth anniversary of Islam’s holy Prophet Mohammad.

The Leader called for unity among Muslims saying it is a matter of principle and a clear religious duty, commanded by the Holy Quran.

Ayatollah Khamenei added “Unity and solidarity among Muslims is not a tactical issue, which some may imagine, we should, due to certain circumstances, be united. No, [Muslims’ unity] is a fundamental issue. Muslims’ synergy is necessary; if Muslims unite and work toward synergy, this strengthens all of them. Muslims’ unity is a clear religious duty [mentioned] in the Quran,” the leader said.

The leader said the reason for the emphasis on unity is the “wide distance among different denominations [of Islam]” and enemies’ serious efforts to increase those gaps.

“Today the words Shia and Sunni have entered the political jargon of the Americans while they basically oppose Islam and are hostile toward it,” the leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei added that the US and its puppets are trying to create sedition everywhere in the Muslim world, saying the recent tragic explosions against worshippers in Afghan mosques, which were claimed by Daesh terrorists, are cases in point, as “Americans clearly said they created Daesh”.

The leader further stressed that creation of a new Islamic civilization is not possible unless Shias and Sunnis unite.

“The main criterion for the unity of Muslims is the issue of Palestine and the more serious efforts are put into protection of Palestinians’ right, the stronger the Islamic unity will be,” he said.

The leader also touched on the issue of Islam and its potential for the Muslim world. Ayatollah Khamenei rejected the “insistence by political and material powers” to pose Islam as something other than a “comprehensive religion with planning for every aspect of the life of humanity”.

“The arena of activity of Islam is the full spectrum and aspects of the life of humans from deep within their hearts and religious issues to political, economic, social, security and international affairs,” the leader said.