Salehi Calls for Respecting Muslims' Rights in Myanmar

The majority of Myanmar population are followers of Buddhism and the government of that country is not willing to recognize the Muslim Rohingya community.

Ali Akbar Salehi

(TEHRAN Trend) - Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in a telephone conversation with his Myanmar counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin called on the Myanmar government to respect the basis rights of that country's Muslim minority, IRNA reported.

He called for an end to the ongoing ethnic conflicts in that country as well as restoration of the rights of Muslims living in that country.

Salehi strongly expressed concern about resumption of fighting between Muslims and radical Buddhists in the Southeast Asian country which has claimed lives of many Muslims and rendered many others homeless.

He further voiced Tehran's readiness to help the Myanmar government solve the existing problems and called for just management of the crisis by Myanmar police and security forces.

The foreign minister said Iran has always invited followers of different religions to unity and does its utmost to help in strengthening their peaceful coexistence.

For his part, the Myanmar foreign minister appreciated Iran's readiness to solve his country's crisis and invited Salehi to pay a visit to Myanmar to review the developments closely.

Statistics and reports indicate that between 100 to 200 Muslims have been killed during the recent ethnic conflicts in Myanmar.

The majority of Myanmar population are followers of Buddhism and the government of that country is not willing to recognize the Muslim Rohingya community.