IRNA - The United Nations Secretary General in a message condemned the recent terrorist attacks on Muslims in New Zealand which claimed the lives of scores of people and injured some others.

'I’m saddened & strongly condemn the shooting of innocent people as they prayed peacefully in mosques in New Zealand. I express my deepest condolences to the victims’ families. Today and every day, we must stand united against anti-Muslim hatred, & all forms of bigotry & terror,' António Guterres tweeted on Friday.

At least 49 people have been killed so far, and 50 seriously injured, after gunmen opened fire at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday when hundreds of Muslims had gathered to say their prayers.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi denounced terrorist attacks on two mosques in New Zealand that have left dozens of people dead as well as many others injured.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the inhumane and brutal attack on two mosques in Christ Church, New Zealand,” he added.

He urged the New Zealand government to detect the perpetrators of the “racist action” and bring them to justice “without any consideration”.

Meanwhile, earlier Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Twitter account ''Impunity in Western 'democracies' to promote bigotry leads to this:
-Israeli thugs enter mosque in Palestine to insult Muslims;
-Terrorists in NZ livestream their murder of 49 Muslims, Western hypocrisy of defending demonization of Muslims as 'freedom of expression' MUST end.'

It is worth nothing that the Lebanese Hezbollah, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq and Bahrain denounced the deadly incident.