Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani on Monday accused Islamic countries of abandoning Iran during the war with the United States and Israel, singling out the United Arab Emirates for describing Tehran as an enemy after attacks on Emirati targets.
In a statement addressed to Muslims across the world and to the governments of Islamic countries, Larijani slammed the response of Muslim governments to the US-Israeli attacks which began in late February, regretting that "no Islamic government stood alongside the people of Iran except in rare cases and limited to political positions."
“Is the position of some Islamic governments not in contradiction with the words of the Prophet of Islam who said: ‘Whoever hears the cry for help of a Muslim and does not respond is not a Muslim’?” he said. “So what kind of Islam is this?”
In an apparent reference to the United Arab Emirates, Larijani said some governments had gone further by calling Iran an enemy because it targeted what he called "American bases and US and Israeli interests on their soil."
“Is Iran expected to sit idly by while American bases in your countries are used to attack it?” Larijani asked. “These are weak excuses.”
On March 7, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a thinly veiled warning to Iran, saying his country is “not easy prey” and referring to Tehran as “the enemy” — a notable departure from the language the UAE has traditionally used toward its northern neighbor.
Larijani urged Muslim countries to reconsider their positions, saying the confrontation today was between “the United States and Israel on one side and Muslim Iran and the forces of resistance on the other.”
“Which side of this battle do you stand on?” he asked.
Call for Muslim unity
Larijani warned that the region’s future depends on greater unity among Muslim states.
“You know that America is not loyal and that Israel is your enemy,” Larijani said. “Pause for a moment and reflect on yourselves and on the future of the region. Iran wishes you well and does not seek domination over you.”
He added that “the unity of the Islamic ummah, if realized with full strength, can guarantee security, progress and independence for all Islamic countries.”
“Iran continues on the path of resistance against the ‘Great Satan’ and the ‘Little Satan,’ meaning the United States and Israel,” he said.
