TEHRAN (Tasnim) � Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei described unity as the only solution to the problems the Muslims are facing, saying the �arrogant powers� have created religious wars in the Islamic countries to divert attention from the fight against Israel.

�The current division and differences in the region are artificial and imposed (phenomenon), and the Islamic world�s clerics, intelligentsia, state officials, politicians and elites should be aware of the role of traitors to the Islamic Ummah (society) in these divisions and differences,� Ayatollah Khamenei said in a gathering of senior Iranian officials and diplomats representing the Islamic countries, held in Tehran on Saturday.

An obvious sign that the Islamic world�s rifts are not natural is that Shiite and Sunni Muslims have a long history of peaceful coexistence in the region, the Leader noted.

�If the Islamic Ummah was integrated and had an emphasize on its commonalities, it would definitely be a unique power in the arena of global politics, but the major powers have imposed such differences on the Islamic Ummah in order to protect their own interests and the interests of the Zionist regime (of Israel),� the Leader explained.

Muslims have an aversion to the Zionist regime of Israel, but authorities in certain Islamic governments are affiliated with the Tel Aviv regime, Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

�In cooperation with ill-suited individuals in a number of Islamic governments, the arrogant powers have masterminded religious wars and created criminal organizations such as al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIL) in order to draw the Islamic nations� attention away from (the battle against) the Zionist regime (of Israel),� the Supreme Leader added.

Just like all Muslim nations, Iranians should also maintain unity, the Leader stressed, asking the Iranian people to avoid division over the issue of nuclear talks between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

�The Iranian nation should be united as well, and the nuclear issues should not polarize the country, because the nuclear subject is being pursued by its own relevant officials and the officials are after (protecting) the national interests,� Imam Khamenei pointed out.

The Leader pointed to a long list of fundamental differences between the policies of Iran and the arrogant powers, reiterating that one could not trust the US, since American officials lack honesty.

Ayatollah Khamenei enumerated the opposite policies Iran and the arrogance have adopted toward Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, and took a swipe at the US for sponsoring terrorism in the region.

�American politicians speak with ultimate unfairness and brazenly deny the clear realities,� the Leader noted.

In comments earlier in the morning, Ayatollah Khamenei made it clear that Iran�s policy toward the US will remain unchanged regardless of the ultimate fate of the text prepared in the talks over Tehran�s nuclear energy program.

By Tasnim News Agency