Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei urged Muslim countries, particularly those in the Gulf, to unite against what he called their "real enemy" and said divisions among Muslims served the interests of their adversaries.
The message was published on Khamenei's Telegram account for Islamic Unity Week, which marks the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
Read by Ayatollah Qomi, Deputy for International Relations of the Office of the Supreme Leader, to attendees at the 40th International conference on Islamic Unity in Mashhad, Iran on Sunday, called for Muslim unity, cooperation in various fields and mutual defence, saying anyone who creates divisions among Muslims, "knowingly or unknowingly," helps Islam's enemies.
It asked whether Palestinians would have been left ‘so helpless’ if Muslims had been united.Khamenei has not been seen in public since being injured in the US-Israeli airstrikes six months ago that launched the Iran war, killing his father and previous supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
His call for unity echoes a statement he made on Friday to Iranians, when he said he had banned actions that harm social cohesion and urged authorities to avoid "discouraging statements" that weaken national and public morale.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Gulf Arab monarchies have viewed Iran's revolutionary ideology, including its anti-monarchic rhetoric and regional influence, as a threat to their political systems.
During the present conflict, Tehran has struck US military facilities as well as other infrastructure in Gulf states, underscoring the tensions between Tehran and its Gulf neighbours.