Iran strives for Muslims unity: Rafsanjani

Tehran, June 8 (IRNA) - Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said on Saturday that Tehran would do everything to bolster unity among Muslims. The senior cleric made the remarks in the holy city of Medina while addressing a group of Iranian pilgrims who were in Saudi Arabia to perform minor Hajj ritual. Rafsanjani arrived in Saudi Arabia on June 2 to attend the International Islamic Conference which started two days later with the participation of some 500 Muslim dignitaries from more than 50 countries. Enemies of Islam would be pleased by witnessing discord among Muslims, Rafsanjani told the Iranian pilgrims. He said that disturbing the Muslims unity is a "sin". The senior cleric warned world Muslims, Iranian pilgrims in particular, against treating each other inappropriately during the major Hajj ritual which is to be performed in December. Millions of world Muslims will gather in the holy city of Mecca to perform the annual Hajj ceremony which is the greatest service to be undertaken at least once during the lifetime of the faithful if they have the means to do so. Rafsanjani said that major Hajj is a demonstration of Muslims unity. The Iranian senior cleric has so far met with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz As-Saud and paid tribute to the shrine of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in the Baqi cemetery.