‘Which side are you on?’ Iran’s Ali Larijani challenges Muslim countries over war stance

Iran rebukes Muslim nations over war stance

Iran’s national security chief, Ali Larijani, has criticised Muslim countries for failing to support Tehran as the US-Israeli war enters its third week with no clear end in sight, disrupting global energy flows and fuelling concerns about rising inflation worldwide.

In a note addressed to Muslims around the world and the governments of Islamic nations, Larijani said Iran had faced what he described as a “treacherous American-Zionist aggression” that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with military officials and civilians. He said the Iranian people had responded with what he called a “firm national and Islamic resistance”.

“You know that, with the exception of rare cases and only within the bounds of political stances, no Islamic country stood with the Iranian people. Nevertheless, the Iranian people, with their strong will, were able to suppress the aggressor until today it is unable to find a way out of this strategic predicament,” he said.

Larijani also questioned the stance of several Islamic governments that have refrained from backing Tehran during the conflict.

“Is not the position of some Islamic governments contradictory to the saying of the Prophet: ‘Whoever hears a man calling out, ‘O Muslims!’ and does not respond is not a Muslim?’ What kind of Islam is this?” he further said.

He added that some countries had portrayed Iran as an enemy because it targeted American and Israeli facilities, arguing that Tehran would not remain passive while US bases in the region were allegedly used to launch attacks on the Islamic Republic.

“The confrontation today is between America and Israel on one side, and Muslim Iran and the forces of resistance on the other. Which side are you on?” he added. “Think about the future of the Islamic world. You know that America is unreliable and that Israel is your enemy. Pause for a moment and reflect on yourselves and the future of the region. Iran is advising you and does not seek to dominate you.”

Larijani’s remarks come as the war between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other continues to escalate. US President Donald Trump has been urging other nations to help restore shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely shut since the conflict erupted on February 28.

At the same time, tensions across the Gulf region have intensified. Gulf states reported fresh attacks on Sunday after Iran called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates, marking the first time Tehran has threatened a neighbouring country’s non-US assets.

Iran has accused Washington of using facilities in the UAE to launch strikes on Kharg Island, one of the country’s key oil export terminals.