Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Sep. 18 Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the Pope of beginning a Crusader War against Islam, despite the pontiffs public apology on Sunday over his recent remarks on the Islamic faith which sparked outrage in Muslim countries. Iran Focus
Tehran, Iran, Sep. 18 Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the Pope of beginning a Crusader War against Islam, despite the pontiffs public apology on Sunday over his recent remarks on the Islamic faith which sparked outrage in Muslim countries.
The first aspect to these remarks was to level accusations against Islam and the second more important aspect was the support these remarks give to the hegemonic policies of the world to sow religious discord among Muslims and Christians, Khamenei told a gathering of Iranian clerics.
He defended the reaction of Muslims to the pontiffs remarks.
He added that the United States was attempting created an ugly image of Muslims in the West in order to crack down on Islamic society under the guise of combating terrorism.
The world bullies believe the continuation of their existence to be in stirring religious crises in the international community. With his remarks, the Pope has effectively helped this policy, Khamenei said, adding that there was a possibility that the pontiff had been deceived into making the comments.
He said that following the September 11 attacks on America, U.S. President George W. Bush spoke of a Crusader War and soon after launched an attack on Iraq. He added that Pope Benedict XVIs comments were the latest link in this joint U.S.-Zionist plot.
Earlier in the day, Irans government spokesman rejected the apology offered by the Pope over his remarks as insufficient.
Gholam-Hossein Elham told reporters that the pontiff needed to say in clearer terms that he was wrong to have made the remarks.
