Iranian MP Highlights West’s Fear of Islam’s Growth
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior Iranian lawmaker said the West fears the spread of Islam and that is the reason behind insults to Islamic sanctities.
“Freedom of expression is just an excuse for the West. They are fearful of people’s interest in Islam … and that is why they resort to such insults,” Vahid Ahmadi, chairman of the parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee said.
He was referring to the recent publication of a blasphemous cartoon of Islam's Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) by the French weekly magazine, Charlie Hebdo.
On January 14, the French magazine, whose Paris office was attacked by two gunmen on January 7, once again published a cartoon of the Prophet on the cover of its new edition despite warnings that the move is provocative.
The move drew anger and condemnation from Muslims all over the world.
Ahmadi underlined that the West has been inciting Islamophobia to prevent western people from getting attracted to Islam.
“They (westerners) do everything they can to stop the spread of Islam,” he stated, adding that insulting Islamic sanctities and giving rise to terrorist groups like ISIL to tarnish the image of Islam are among the measures taken by the West to that end.
The so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is an extremist militant group in Iraq and Syria believed to be supported by the West and some regional Arab countries.
The ISIL members have been committing heinous crimes in the areas they have taken, including the mass execution of civilians in Iraq and Syria.
