Iran’s Top General Warns France to Stop Dangerous Game of Insulting Islam
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s highest-ranking military commander condemned the French president’s backing for the insults to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), advising France to stop playing with the sentiments of more than 1.5 billion Muslims in the world.
In remarks on Monday, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri denounced the “anti-human rights comments” from President of France Emmanuel Macron who has voiced support for the caricatures insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the guise of backing the values of secularism.
He also called on world intellectuals and elites to advise the French authorities -who blatantly violate human rights and insult divine religions under the guise of politics- to stop such a “dangerous game” and avoid playing with the sentiments of more than 1.5 billion Muslims.
It is surprising that the Western governments, including France, which have given birth to Takfiri and terrorist groups like Daesh (ISIL or ISIS), are attempting to attribute the brutal terrorist activities to Islam, the religion of wisdom and rationalism, the Iranian general said.
Earlier this month, Macron pledged to fight “Islamist separatism”, which he said was threatening to take control in some Muslim communities around France.
He also described Islam as a religion “in crisis” worldwide and said the government would present a bill in December to strengthen a 1905 law that officially separated church and state in France.
His comments, in addition to his backing of satirical outlets publishing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), have drawn widespread condemnation from Muslims across the world.