Daily Times

Based on the saying of the Prophet of Islam,  one of Iran’s most revered poets Sheikh Saadi Shirazi wrote a poem titled: “BANI ADAM.”  In it, the great Saadi Shirazi describes all humankind like one body. If one part of the body is in pain, the whole body is uncomfortable.  This poem hangs on the entrance of the United Nations Headquarter in America, but it seems neither America nor any of the expansionists have ever read it and if they have read it, they haven’t grasped or cared to follow it.  Otherwise, humanity would not have suffered so much bloodshed.

However, it seems that the word of Saadi Shirazi continues to echo and reverberate in the hearts and minds of the people of Iran.  The following steps taken by Iran since Modi’s incredibly inhumane actions against the people of Jammu Kashmir fully justify my claim.  The Indian prime minister who has been termed by some international observers as the most dangerous politicians at present revoked India’s constitution that allows Jammu Kashmir a special status and turned the whole occupied state into a prison, where people have no access to markets, hospitals, schools and communication network of any type.

As soon as Modi made an unlawful declaration and ordered curfew in Jammu Kashmir, Iran was the first country to show decisiveness despite its close relations with India. This is called principle and morality.  The first step was taken by the spiritual leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, who urged India to protect the Muslims of Kashmir.  This followed several demonstrations in main Iranian cities such as Tehran, Mashad and Shiraz.

I was present in two of the demonstrations in Mashad on 15^th of August just 10 days after India declared curfew in Kashmir. A local member of the National Majlis or Parliament Nasrollah Pezmanfar represented the Iranian government.

On Tuesday 13^th of August Iran’s Foreign Office Spokesman, Abbas Mousavi issued a statement expressing Iran’s grave concern over Jammu Kashmir.  This followed a resolution presented by Dr. Ali Mathari in Iranian parliament calling on all Muslim countries to stand up for the protection of the Muslims of Jammu Kashmir. As reported by the Tehran times on 24^th of August, the Office for Strengthening Unity (OSU) wrote a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations demanding condemnation of the Indian behavior in Jammu Kashmir and asked to take necessary steps to protect the Kashmiri Muslims.

The OSU is an Association whose purpose it is to strengthen coordination between universities and theological seminaries set up in 1979 by Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, who was a top confidant of Iran’s supreme leader Ruhallah Khomeini. The Grand  Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi also issued a strong condemnation on India’s inhumane actions in Kashmir and demanded an “immediate halt to Indian violence.”

Hojjatoleslam Kazem Seddiqi, the interim Friday prayer leader of Tehran described Kashmir as one of  the tragedies of the Muslim world adding that the Indian government behavior was contrary to human conscience, fairness and even domestic laws.  The Iran media has also played a commendable role highlighting Indian atrocities and reaction against it.

What is most important is the fact that no lobby was made in Iran by or on behalf of the people of Jammu Kashmir. The Iranian Government, Leadership and people were instigated by their own sense of humanity and fairness. This will never be forgotten and should not be forgotten by the victimized people of Jammu Kashmir!