Tehran, Mar 15 (UNI) Hours after terror attacks against Muslims praying in Mosques in New Zealand, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed “Western hypocrisy” for the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand that killed at least 49 worshippers and wounded dozens during Friday prayers.
In a tweet, Zarif included a photo of US President Donald Trump grabbed from a news footage, with printed words, “I think Islam hates us”.
Zarif also said that “Impunity in Western ‘democracies’ to promote bigotry” leads to attacks against Muslims.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi denounced terrorist attacks on two mosques in New Zealand that have left dozens of people dead as well as many others injured.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the inhumane and brutal attack on two mosques in Christ Church, New Zealand,” Qasemi said and urged the New Zealand government to detect the perpetrators of the “racist action” and bring them to justice “without any consideration”.
“Any terrorist act, anywhere in the world, carried out by anybody under any motive, must be condemned by all the countries”, Qasemi added, calling on “governments not to allow racist and Islamophobic movements to disrupt the security of citizens.”
Iran in the past has condemned terror attacks, such as the September 11, 2001 operation by jihadist Sunni militants of Al Qaeda, which killed thousands of Americans. But Iran does not consider attacks against Israeli civilians as terror, although it has issued statements condemning terror attacks in general.
In the case of the Taliban Iran has sometimes condemned their attacks against civilians, but at times has remained silent.
Earlier also in September 2018, Mr Zarif had blamed "a foreign regime" backed by the United States for attack on a military parade which killed at least eight troops and several civilians.
UNI XC JAL 2056