Iranian Senior Officials Condemn Nigeria Massacre: It Serves ’Israel’
Local Editor
In the wake of the merciless attacks committed against innocent Nigerian civilians, Iran's top officials made a series of condemnations and calls, warning that the incidents serve the "Israelis" in the first place.
For the purpose, President Hassan Rouhani called for the establishment of a fact-finding committee in Nigeria to investigate this recent military crackdown on Shia Muslim community in the country.
In a phone conversation Tuesday with his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari, Rouhani said: "Under the present circumstances, we expect the Nigerian government to sympathize with all victims and prevent the persistence of any kind of unrest by issuing firm instructions."
Media sources reported on December 12 that hundreds of people were killed after the Nigerian army attacked Shia Muslims in the northern city of Zaria, Kaduna State.
In details, Nigerian soldiers opened fire on the people attending a religious ceremony at Hussainiyyah Baqeeyatullah, a religious center belonging to the Islamic Movement of Nigeria [IMN].
One day later, Nigerian Shia cleric Ibrahim al-Zakzaky and his wife were arrested during a raid by the army on his residence and the buildings connected to the Shia community in Zaria. Local sources reported that hundreds of people trying to protect the cleric were killed.
Furthermore, Rouhani warned of plots to cause discord among Muslim countries and urged Muslim nations to remain united and vigilant against schemes.
He also expressed Iran's readiness to dispatch medical teams to Nigeria to treat those injured in the recent wave of violence.
For his part, Speaker of Iran's parliament Ali Larijani said on Tuesday that the recent bloody attacks against Shia Muslims in Nigeria were a pre-planned plot in the best interests of the "Israeli" regime.
In addition, Senior Advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and Secretary General of the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening Ali-Akbar Velayati expressed in a statement released on Tuesday his "deep regret and sorrow" over the Nigerian army's recent "brutal attack" on Shia Muslims in the country.
Velayati further stated that the Nigerian army, provoked by the "Israeli" regime and backed by Wahhabi extremists, once again attacked Muslims in the African country following the massive march of Nigerians during this year's mourning rituals of Arba'een, which marked the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussain [PBUH], the third imam.
He added that people across the world still remember the killing of Muslims by the Nigerian army during last year's rallies marking the International Quds Day, stressing that the demonstrators were only killed for supporting the Palestinian nation against "Israel's" atrocities and occupation.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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