Rafsanjani says US directly helping Israeli crimes

Iran's head of the arbitrative Expediency Council, Abkar Hashemi Rafsanjani, on Friday called for unity and solidarity among Islamic countries as he condemned "Zionist Israeli regime's atrocities in the occupied lands, including demolition of Palestinian homes and raids on refugee camps," IRNA reported.

The former Iranian president said "the crimes of the Zionist regime are carried out with a direct American support...The crimes of the Zionist regime against the innocent Palestinian people are committed while the world claims of freedom and human rights and establishes rights associations in protect of animals," Rafsanjani said.

"America explicitly supports Israel and confirms this regime. The tragic situation in Palestine further is among the most hideous and bitter facts of our time," he said.

"The human conscience seems to have become darkened since those who are defending themselves and their country are called as terrorists and the crimes of the other party as defensive," he added, IRNA reported.