Iran cleric slams Wahabi terrorists

Senior Iranian cleric Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has lambasted terrorist activities committed by Wahabis, saying terrorism has no place in Islam.

“The extremist Wahabis… have spread terrorism under the name of Islam,” Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said on Tuesday, Fars News Agency reported.

“By attempting to brand themselves [as Muslims] the Wahabis have damaged the image of Islam worldwide,” he said.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi called for a gathering of Muslim clerics and scholars, so they can unanimously “condemn the unlawful activities [of the Wahabis] and announce that they (the Wahabis) are not true Muslims.”

He described Islam as “the religion of peace, logic and reasoning” and condemned the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, which have left thousands of civilian dead.

“War in the modern world ignores morality and does not show mercy to women, children and the sick in hospitals,” Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi noted.

“The wars fought at the time of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) were all defensive measures, and no aggression was ever initiated by the Muslims.”