LATEST: Supreme Leader: “Filthy Imperialists” Trying to Divide Muslim World

Iran has chided the Turkish Government over its planned military intervention in Syria, using a phone call from Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday.

Zarif’s call followed the Turkish Parliament’s approval, by a 298-98 vote, of the Erdoğan Government’s initiative. The plan includes safe havens in northwestern Syria and permission for foreign forces to use Turkish bases.

President Erdoğan has made clear that the measures are not just to confront the advance of the jihadist Islamic State, but also to pursue the removal of the Assad regime, which has been propped up by Iran during the 42-month conflict.

Zarif told Cavusoglu, “The countries in the region should act responsibly with regard to the current situation and do not contribute to the exacerbation of the situation in the region.”

Iran is hoping to renew its ties with Ankara, strained by the Syrian conflict, especially for economic benefit. Tehran has declared that trade between the two countries will soar to $30 billion by 2015.


Supreme Leader: “Filthy Imperialists” Trying to Divide Muslim World

In his Hajj message to pilgrims to Mecca, the Supreme Leader has claimed a threat to the Muslim world: “The filthy hands of imperialist politics have, for some time now, placed division on the agenda in order to fulfil their sinister interests.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said the “abhorrent policies” of enemy powers including instigation of “takfiri” groups in Iraq and Syria: “The scheming enemy is aiming to stoke the fire of a domestic war among the Muslims, to misdirect the motivation for resistance and jihad and to secure the Zionist regime and the servants of arrogance — who are the real enemies.”

However, Khamenei reassured, “Today with the blessing of Islamic Awakening” — led by Iran — “Muslim peoples have correctly recognized the enmity of the imperialist and Zionist front and they have taken a stance against them.”

Government Resists Judiciary Pressure Over Control of Social Media

The Rouhani Government has resisted a warning by the head of judiciary, Sadegh Amoli Larijani, to withdraw its plans for the opening of social media.

Communications Minister Mahmoud Vaezi held out against the blocking of mobile social networking sites such as Viber and Whatsapp, saying that the cutoff of access is “not the right approach”.

On Wednesday, Larijani expressed the “hope” that Government officials share the Judiciary’s “concerns” over social media and that they will not force his staff to “confront” the matter.

Vaezi responded at a press conference that social media was part of Iran’s development, with universities and specialists in the private sector encouraged to create networks.

The Minister did bend toward the judiciary’s warning of “criminal content and insulting sanctities and officials”, saying that users must take care not to offend public morality.