Iran calls for emergency meeting of OIC foreign ministers

President Mohamad Khatami of Iran on Monday called for holding an emergency meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of islamic Conference (OIC) to discuss the crisis caused by the attacks perpetrated in New York and Washington.

In a message to the Emir of Qatar who is acting chairman of the OIC, Sheikh hamad Ben Khalifa Al-Thani, President Khatami said it is necessary to convene an emergency meeting of the OIC foreign ministers, in view of the current sensitive situation.

He said such a tragedy was used as a pretext by those who try to exacerbate anti-Muslim feelings in the west.

The Islamic World officials should endeavor to eliminate this danger, president Khatami said.

The OIC secretary general, Abdelouahed Belkziz had condemned the suicide attacks as "criminal and brutal acts."

"We denounce and condemn those criminal and brutal acts that run counter to all covenants, humanitarian values and divine religion, foremost among which is Islam. Our tolerant Islamic religion highly prizes the sanctity of human life and considers the willful killing of a single soul as tantamount to killing humanity at large. The Islamic World as a whole shares the pain and sorrow of the Amerian people in this terrible and devastating ordeal." The OIC statement said.