A senior Iranian cleric met with Iraqi professors calling the academy one of the most influential Islamic schools for the past and future generations of Muslims.

Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Taskhiri, President of the Supreme Council at the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought met with professors of Kufa University in Iraq calling the city the cradle for school of Ahlul Bayt (AS), house hold of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), reported Taqrib News Agency (TNA).

Ayatollah Taskhiri, in this meeting, referred to a background of religious clashes at the University of Kufa during former regime in Iraq and expressed hope that the center turns to an academy that educates a generation with proximity views.

He rejected anti-proximity and Iranophobic claims by Wahhabi groups and stressed,” Iranian nation during history has played an important role in supporting Sunni Muslims to the point that Sour Imams of Sunni denomination and even the authors of Sunni reference books were all from Iran.”

An advisor of the Supreme Leader said both Shia and Sunni are necessary for a perfect understanding of Islam and hailed the efforts of both denominations to for institutionalizing Islamic values.

Senior cleric also touched upon the meaning of proximity as searching common grounds between Islamic denominations and all divine religions.

He stressed that there is more than 95 per cent of commonalities between Islamic denominations and a minor five per cent should not be highlighted so that the way for misuse of the enemies is not paved.

He called launching the World Forum as a continuation of proximity path of the world of Islam and said victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran and end of Iran-Iraq war was the beginning point for launching the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought at the initiation of late Imam Khomeini (RA).

In another part of his remarks, grand Ayatollah Taskhiri referred to religious violence in Iraq and said,” The crimes that is committed against Iraqi nation by terrorists and Takfiri groups is a tragedy that hurts our feelings.” And added,” Probably the disagreement between different Islamic denominations in Iraq is a result of high tare of violence in the country.”

He also referred to Syria situation noting that Syrian nation is killed due to sectarian reasons while the true objective is a political one in line with creating a proper ambiance for the Zionist regime and weakening Iran as the supporter of the resistance in the region.

Ibtisam al Madani, dean of Education Faculty at the University of Kufa in this meeting noted that the center aims at educating a generation of true believers who are familiar with Islamic proximity and the teachings of Ahlul Bayt (AS).

She referred to the tough situation in Iraq and said the country is in need of great plans for coalition and proximity between Shia and Sunni communities.

HK