The Syrian Islamic Council has condemned the crimes being committed by the Iranian militias in Syria, saying that these crimes provided the Assad regime with the means of survival. It stressed that the international community is to blame for Iran’s sectarian policies aimed at the imposition of Shiism in Syria.
In a statement published on its page on Facebook on Tuesday, the Council said that “Iran is practicing the worst forms of occupation and has lately begun the imposition of Shiism on Syrians in some areas by the force of arms.” It pointed out that before the Syrian revolution, Iran sought to spread Shiism in Syria using soft power.
The Council stressed that Iran is an aggressor state that is occupying Syria and its people. Iran has also been a partner of the murderous Assad regime since the early days of the Syrian revolution as its activities were not limited to murder and killings, but also included the enforced demographic change.
The cultural and ideological changes Iran is seeking to introduce to Syria are aimed at creating a deep rift in Syrian society by establishing missionary institutions and universities that have begun to spread Shiism in several cities and schools, the Council added.
The statement called on the Syrian people in all their components and institutions, especially the religious ones, to stand in the face of this cultural invasion which risks destroying the coexistence and tolerance which have along characterized the Syrian people of all backgrounds and affiliations.
Furthermore, the Council noted that this invasion targets all components of the Syrian people, namely their religion and beliefs. Iran has recently begun to impose Shiite religious rituals such as azan (call to prayer) on the Shiite way in some Sunni areas such as Deir Ezzor.
The Council went on to say that the cultural invasion is more dangerous to the country and its people that the military occupation. It cautioned Syrians against dealing with the institutions that Iran is establishing in Syria under the guise of serving religion.
The Council concluded its statements by calling on all relevant regional and international institutions not to remain silent about Iran’s plans to change the beliefs of people by the force of arms and its cultural invasion in Syria aimed at bringing about demographic change in the country with the help of the sectarian Assad regime.
The Syrian Coalition has repeatedly warned of the danger of the continued expansionist policy by Iran which is seeking to change the demographic landscape in the country. It underscored that these policies constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity that must not be ignored. It also called for holding all those involved in these policies accountable. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
