A tweet from an account believed to be that of Iran’s Supreme Leader warned Thursday that Sunni militants are trying to create disunity in the Muslim world.
The tweet, written in English, was posted on the account @khamenei_ir on the Twitter social networking site. Ironically, Iran itself once threatened to block Twitter for use within its own borders.
“Muslims should be aware of Takfiris and arrogants’ common goal to create a war in Muslim world – both Shias and Sunnis should be vigilant.” the post warned.
The word “Takfiris” is a reference to Sunni Muslims who proclaim followers of other sects of Islam to be infidels and therefore legitimate targets of jihad, or holy war, according to international media.
The Reuters news service added that the term “arrogant” powers is generally a code word for the U.S., the West and Israel.
Shi’ite Muslim fighters who left Iraq to fight in Syria are now returning to their own country to fight the Al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq in the Levant (ISIL) terrorist organization, a Sunni Muslim group.
Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah military group also said it was sending fighters to Iraq to help fend off the ISIL advance through the country. In recent days, ISIL fighters seized control of most of the area of northern Iraq’s largest oil refinery, located in Baji, according to a refinery official.
On Wednesday, the terrorists controlled the production units, administration building and four watch towers – 75 percent of the refinery, according to an official who spoke with Reuters from inside the refinery. Clashes were continuing between ISIL fighters and security forces near the main control room at the time.