Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, as part of his visit to India on June 8 met with top clerics and scholars in New Delhi During the meeting held with the presence of top Shia and Sunni religious scholars and clerics of India, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, while hearing the opinions, proposals and assessments of the Muslim scholars, underlined the necessity of a more accurate knowledge and understanding of plots and threats, maintenance of unity, coexistence and respect for followers of other faiths and increased readiness to counter existing pressure and restrictions against Islam and Islamic values. During the meeting, the foreign minister expressed contentment on presence among scholars of New Delhi.“Scholars of Islam have played a historical role in India and the Islamic world and their glorification and efforts for promotion of the grand ideas of Imam Khomeini, including support for the subjugated and rejection of separation of religion and politics are worthy of praise and commendation,” he said. “In the current era, the Islamic Revolution Leader is the flag bearer of the ideas of the late Imam.” Amirabdollahian also stressed that, during his meetings with top Indian officials, he reiterated the point that India’s Muslim community has played a major share in the progress and development of India and this valuable characteristic of the Muslim community is a result of the efforts and presence of Muslim scholars. The foreign minister also noted that, during the meetings, top Indian officials also stressed that they take pride in the Muslim community of India and its topmost clerics and hold them in high regard and [Indian officials] mentioned this during all the meetings. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will always stand by India’s government, nation and Muslim community. The relations between India and Iran are strong and expanding, and in this regard, the presence of India’s scholars and Muslims is a firm pillar of these relations,” Amirabdollahian reiterated. The foreign minister also underscored the unchangeable principles of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran including defense for the Islamic values and Islam’s dignity.“There was a time when westerners, in the nuclear negotiations, acknowledged that they could ignore every problem they had with Iran’s nuclear program only if Iran stops supporting Palestine and recognizes Israel. Of course, the US and westerners know that atomic bombs have no place in the Islamic belief of Iran; they know that Iran is not seeking nuclear bombs. Western [governments], with such flimsy pretexts, were after recognition of Israel by Iran, in line with what they thought would be achieving their objectives, and of course they were defeated,” he said. “Iran considers support for liberation of Quds a religious and ethical duty and is fully committed to it.”Amirabdollahian also talked about the insults against the holy prophet of Islam and expressed deep regret about the upsetting incident.He condemned insult against the great prophet of Islam, saying India has been a land of compassion and tolerance and is always a refuge and a front for different viewpoints. Therefore, he said, such raucous clamor neither suits India nor is rooted in India, and surely followers of all religions in the Indian territory oppose such comments. This, he said, was a point conversed about clearly, and in different manners, by Indian officials during this visit. “Here, scholars have a unique role to play. Such synergy should develop between scholars of India and Iran, so that the true compassionate face of Islam, which is reflected in our Holy book Quran, and in the lifestyles and manners of Imams and religious dignitaries, should be shown [to everyone]. Scholars should come forward and put this compassionate face to display. At the same time, everyone should stand up to insults. Everyone should join hands to stand up to slanders and should be sure that the serpent of insults against beliefs is so untoward and multi-faceted that, if not suppressed through unity and consensus, it will become a multi-faceted dragon,” he stressed. Amirabdollahian further noted that Muslims have had a decisive and prominent role in fighting foreign colonization as well as in fighting for achieving freedom and development in India, and it is necessary that Muslims improve their standing in the Indian society through getting education in modern sciences and upgrading their scientific and economic status. He also talked about the risks posed by extremism in today’s world, regardless of its spread in different societies, and called for the positive and constructive role of the Muslims and their cooperation with followers of other religions and faiths in countering this dangerous phenomenon. “Leaders of India’s Muslim community are a good example for further strengthening of peace, empathy and respectful coexistence of ethnicities and faiths along each other, and will not allow the growth of any phenomenon, which goes against their will, and the will of the majority of people of India and the Indian subcontinent,” he stressed. “In the pluralist society of India, different faiths and ethnicities have, for centuries, lived alongside each other in peace and with tolerance and coexistence and governments, elders and leaders of different faiths, with their wisdom and foresight, have offset the obstacles and agents that oppose this unity and empathy, and have defused the designs and plots to disrupt this coexistence and rapport.”