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Tehran, Dec 6, IRNA -- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei here Friday said that a possible US attack on any Islamic country would harm the whole Islamic world as he urged Muslims to close their ranks against the world hegemonism.
"The enemy is interfering in the Islamic world under the pretext of fighting terrorism, but all Muslim nations know that the main target of the imperialists and Zionists is Islam and the Islamic ummah," he told representatives of Islamic countries in Iran, who met with the leader to congratulate him on Eid-ul-Fitr.
"A US attack on any country, including Iraq, under any pretext is harmful to the interests of the Islamic world," he said, adding the US and Zionists had their eyes on Islamic resources and they considered Islam as a block to their hegemonism.
"The main objectives of the arrogant powers are to eliminate the Palestinian nation and dominate resources and riches of the Islamic world and guarantee the survival of Israel as a cancerous tumor of the (Middle East) region," the leader said.
"The Islamic ummah and officials of the Islamic countries are required to fulfill their grave responsibilities with total vigilance and beware of enemies' efforts to create discord among them," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
The leader reiterated the Islamic Republic's "clear and explicit stance" on supporting the Palestinian nation and said: "We consider defending the oppressed Palestinians as a must and believe that all Islamic governments must also fulfill their duties in this respect."
Earlier in the meeting, President Mohammad Khatami said the Islamic world faced a "critical situation" and prayed that the Palestinian people would achieve victory and the world would get rid of "global warmongers".
On Friday morning, Ayatollah Khamenei led Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Grounds as tens of thousands of worshipers participated. Friday prayers were scrapped throughout the country in accordance with an Islamic trend which calls off the weekly congregation when the two prayers coincide.
The leader urged Iranian officials, including the heads of the three constitutional powers, to "refrain from weakening one another and questioning their legal duties."
"America and Zionists try to portray unimportant differences of views (in Iran) as (indicative of) deep ideological gaps. Thus, all officials and heads of (legislative, executive and judicial) powers should remain fully alert," he said.
The leader's remarks come amid differences over the court's sentencing of university professor Hashem Aghajari to death as well as over other issues.
The sentence triggered several days of student protests in capital Tehran and several other cities. Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered a review of the case.
"All the nation whether Basij (militia), faithful youth, pious and diligent authorities or the clergy, must be careful that they do not fall into the trap of the enemy," the leader said.
He also called on the Iranian media and its propaganda machine to promote frugality and refraining from extravagance, while he urged state officials to stem poverty.
"The philosophy of tolerating hunger and thirst in the month of Ramadan is that all ... fight to wipe out poverty and deprivation from the society," he said.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking in this holy month of fasting from dawn to dusk.
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