News - Middle East: Marking the first Friday prayers in Iran’s capital Tehran in 20 months, speakers have called for unity among various Islamic sects, describing it “the strongest weapon in our hands.”

Addressing worshipers before the main sermon of the Friday prayers, Sheikh Ghazi Yusuf Hanina, chairman of the Assembly of Lebanese Muslim Scholars, thanked Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for supporting the Lebanese people in the fight against Takfiri terrorists as well as Israel and the US.

He said religious differences must not be the cause of discord among Muslims.

Pointing to the Islamic Unity Week, Sheikh Yusuf Hanina said the late founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, picked the birth of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) for the occasion so as to create unity among all Muslims.

The Islamic Unity Week refers to a ceremony held every year both by Sunnis and Shias between two dates of the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, one of which is narrated by Sunnis and the other by Shias.

This year, the event coincided with the first Friday prayers in Tehran since the spread of COVID-19 across the country in early 2020.

“One of the challenges of the Muslim Ummah (community) is the need to create unity in taking positions and among the people,” Sheikh Yusuf Hanina told worshippers, stressing that “the strongest weapon in our hands is the unity of all Muslims.”