Ayatollah Makarem in a meeting with the UN representative in Iraq:

UN should address situation facing refugees

Rasa – In a meeting with Ján Kubiš, the visiting UN Special Representative for Iraq, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi stated: “Repairing the devastation and destruction caused by ISIL and the situation facing refugees and will take decades and the UN should focus on this issue.”

News ID: 422294

Date: 09 May 2016 - 10:48

RNA – Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, and his delegation, met with Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi at His Eminence’s office in Qom on Monday for discussion over the critical situation facing Iraq.

During the meeting, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi told Mr. Kubiš: “It has become clear from your statements that you have understood the suffering of the Iraqi people and this can help to solve the many problems [facing the country], but there are few essential points to note. First, is that the United Nations is an international organization and people throughout the world have hope that it can solve their problems.”

The revered source of emulation added: “If you can solve the problems in Iraq, you will have helped both Iraq and its people, and will have maintained the dignity of the UN. Such an act will have mutual benefits that should not be missed.”

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi referred to the evil phenomenon of ISIL and other Takfiri groups and said ISIL is not the enemy of Shi’as, nor Sunnis, nor Iraq, nor Syria but rather it is the enemy of all mankind. The events that have occurred due to this group in France and Belgium have proved that that ISIL is not limited to one country.

“It is appreciated that Mr. Ban Ki-moon has emphasized on ISIL being the enemy of all the people of the world and this has changed their approach toward ISIL,” he said.

He pointed to the role regional governments have had in the empowering of ISIL, saying that ISIL is a small group but foreign aid gives them power. If this dual approach was to change, ISIL would be finished. However, repairing the devastation and destruction caused by ISIL and the situation facing refugees and will take decades and the UN should focus on this issue.

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi said that now, the problem of refugees is a complex issue and Europeans cannot accept all of them and cannot return them to their hometowns. The UN must be careful on this issue because of ISIL issue cannot be solved through a political approach, such as negotiations, alone. Negotiations and military action are necessary but are not sufficient.

“ISIL is an ideology that has arisen in Saudi Arabia and in the Wahhabi thought and the duty of the scholars of the Islamic world is to work hand in hand to destroy the roots of this ideology so that the youth do not think that by joining ISIL, they will be in the presence of the Prophet Muhammad,” His Eminence stressed.

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