Iran, Belarus Discuss Shiite-Sunni Unity

During the meeting in the Belarus capital on Saturday, the Iranian ambassador expressed his country's solidarity with Belarus Muslims and said that strengthening unity within the Muslim World is Iran's principled policy.

Yari discussed issues pertaining to the affairs of the Muslim world with the Belarus Muslim official.

He stressed the importance of forging unity between the Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims, particularly during the present sensitive regional and international circumstances.

Both sides condemned the remarks against Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on the pretext of freedom of expression.

The  Mufti of the Muslim Religious Association in the Republic of Belarus, for his part, emphasized the need for enhancing unity between the Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims and termed Islam as a religion of rationality and kindness.

In recent weeks and after a French teacher was beheaded by an ISIL member after he displayed cartoons of the prophet of Islam, French President Emmanuel Macron attacked Islam and the Muslim community, accusing Muslims of "separatism", and he said previously that "Islam is a religion in crisis all over the world".

The incident in Paris coincided with a provocative move by Charlie Hebdo, a left-wing French magazine infamous for publishing anti-Islamic content, which has drawn widespread anger and outrage across the Muslim world.

The caricatures were first published in 2006 by a Danish newspaper Jylllands Posten, sparking a wave of protests.

message end/