Rouhani says Palestine issue is still Islamic world's priority

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‍Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Tuesday that Palestine remains the most important issue for the Islamic world, Press TV reported.

After the collapse of ISIL in Iraq and Syria, the issue of Palestine has regained its importance for Muslims, Rouhani said in the opening ceremony of the 13th Session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Iran's capital Tehran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani greets heads of parliamentary commissions before a meeting in the capital Tehran on January 1, 2018. /VCG Photo

"The current instability and insecurity gripping the region stem from continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories," he was quoted as saying.

Rouhani urged the Islamic states to unite for the creation of a "calm region and peaceful foreign relations," adding that Iran views no country as its "competitor" in the region.

"Some countries, however, are following the wrong path and seek to widen the rifts among Muslim nations under the US and Israel's influence," Rouhani said.

The Iranian president also criticized some Muslim states for what he called their dependence on foreign powers, saying "the experiences of modern history teach us that these powers solely think about their own interests."

Leaders and representatives of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states pose for a group photo during the Istanbul Summit in Istanbul, Turkey April 14, 2016. /VCG Photo

Iran believes it could even engage in negotiations and cooperation with the countries with which it has differences of opinion based on mutual respect, he added.

The ongoing Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting, which will last until Wednesday, is attended by parliament speakers, deputy parliament speakers, and parliamentary delegations from 44 countries.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency