In the editorial, entitled “The enemy’s shield”, Shariatmadari argues that in Shia or Sunni Islam “It is legal to strike those who protect the enemy” .
The real enemies, says Shariatmadari are “The barbaric Zionists, the ferocious Americans and their European allies”.
“Because of this, we must remove those Islamic regimes that stop Muslims attacking their enemies; that is not only legal, but a duty.”
In the editorial Shariatmadari also stresses the need to attack the ‘atheists’ and the ‘Zionists’, but also emphasises the high price they will pay for protecting ‘Zionists’.
He says their interests all over the world must be hit.
“Only when the West sees their citizens fall, it may reflect on their support for Zionism.”
Shariatmadari is not considered a journalist with radical Islamist views, or an extremist in Iran’s Islamic hierarchy.
But its newspaper is considered the most conservative in Iran and one that reflects the views of the government.
Kayhan’s director is considered the representative of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader of the Islamic revolution.
Shariatmadari, was sentenced to life in jail for his political views in his late twenties. He was reported to have been severely tortured and was finally freed following the Iranian revolution in 1979.
