Iranian MP urges Muslim states to cut ties with US over Jerusalem
Ali Motahhari says ‘reciprocal action’ is needed in response to Trump’s decision to recognize Israel’s capital
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An Iranian member of parliament on Saturday called on Muslim countries to sever diplomatic ties with the United States over President Donald Trump’s recognition of Israel as Jerusalem’s capital.
“The least move the Muslim states can make is to summon the US ambassadors for explanations; yet basically, they had better show action and cut off relations with the US,” said Ali Motahhari, the vice speaker of the Iranian parliament, according to the semi-official Fars News agency. “Muslims are needed to take reciprocal action.”
Iran does not have diplomatic relations with the US and is deeply hostile to the US. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran’s opposition to Israel and support for the Palestinians has been central to its foreign policy. It trains, arms and funds terror groups that seek to wipe Israel out, and routinely calls for Israel’s destruction.
The US has diplomatic relations with all UN full member states except for Bhutan, Iran, North Korea and Syria.
Earlier this week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blasted the US decision and discussed the matter with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has threatened to cut ties with Israel in response to the move.
Rouhani also agreed to attend a special summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the main pan-Islamic body, on December 13, which Erdogan called to discuss the issue.
Trump’s announcement, which included a promise to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, has been met with anger throughout the Muslim world and protesters held demonstrations in a number of countries on Friday after midday prayers. Thousands of Palestinians held violent protests on Friday, and hundreds more demonstrated on Saturday.
In a Wednesday address from the White House, Trump defied worldwide warnings and insisted that after repeated failures to achieve peace a new approach was long overdue, describing his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the seat of Israel’s government as merely based on reality.
The move was hailed by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and by leaders across much of the Israeli political spectrum. Trump stressed that he was not specifying the boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in the city, and called for no change in the status quo at the city’s holy sites.
AFP contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.