Supporting Daesh to be counterproductive: Activist

This file photo shows ISIL Takfiri militants.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Massoud Shadjareh, head of the Islamic Human Rights Commission in Tehran, about Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warning of the threats posed by the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Now Zarif has called for the full engagement of regional countries to counter violence and extremism. This is a theme that Iran has pushed for in the past as well. How necessary do you think it is for this to take place specifically as the region faces threats like the ISIL?

Shadjareh: It is absolutely necessary and absolutely it is a must. I think it would be very difficult to deal with the rise of this extremism and this Takfiri sort of ideology, which is willing to go and kill everyone on his path without coordination of all the nations and indeed willingness of all the local powers and local nations.

But having said that, I think Mr. Zarif has been very diplomatic. The reality is that there are many of the nations in the region like Saudi Arabia and others which are really part of the problem rather than solution. They are promoting the whole ideology of creation of otherness within family of Islam and indeed they are financing this sort of extremism not just in the region but right around the world. Even as far places as Malaysia and Indonesia, people are being sent to those regions to create this conflict and we are seeing the rise of Takfirism right across the Muslim world and as I said places like Indonesia which have been one of the most tolerant Muslim communities are now seeing this conflict created among them.

And I think we need to understand that Saudis and indeed Israelis need to have conflict to justify their own existence. Without conflict, when there is peace and harmony within the region, they know that their hegemony is going to be challenged, their kingship is going to be challenged, illegal occupation is going to be challenged, and so therefore I think we need to understand that trying to get everyone on the side of tranquility and peace is going to be difficult.

Press TV: Well speaking of which, as you have just pointed out, there are certain nations who see that their self interest lies in fanning the flames of extremism and violence within the region. What needs to change in order to show these nations and their governments that the collective future of a more prosperous and stable and even secure Middle East lies in these countries uniting to work together?

Shadjareh: I think we need to work on two levels. One, we need to make the people of these nations - be it Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, even Israelis - to recognize that this sort of policy is going to be counterproductive for their interest. They are going to pay heavily through promotion of these conflicts. The only winners are actually few individuals who are running these countries rather than the masses of people.

We also need to make the international community to recognize that supporting these nations – be it Israeli Zionist state or the Saudis or others in the region - is actually counterproductive to their interest because really these sort of conflicts are so dangerous that they could engulf everyone and it would be lose-lose for everyone and if we get rid of this and put pressure on these leaders of these countries and these rogue elements, then we will all benefit and I think that is what we need to sell to whole of the international community and to the people in the region.


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