Western media admit Islamic nature of uprisings in Mideast: Iran`s Velayati

TEHRAN, Dec. 14(MNA) – Ali Akbar Velayati, the secretary general of World Assembly of Islamic Awakening (WAIA), told a press conference on Monday that the Western reputable newspapers have finally acknowledged the Islamic nature of uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. On which title, the "Islamic Awakening" or the "Arab Spring", could better define the nature of movements in the region, he said the Supreme Leader, in a speech in March 2011, described uprisings in the Arab states as "Islamic Awakening" and later this was realized by the facts on the ground. All people who have been participating in demonstrations in regional countries have been chanting Islamic slogans and protests have been mainly arranged after Friday prayer ceremonies, the former foreign minister stated. For example, Velayati said, Islamic groups in Egypt, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis, have won most seats in the parliament, and this shows that people want a government committed to the Islamic principles. He also said that the WAIA is going to hold seminars on youth, women, authors, artists with the participation of Muslim countries in the near future. Turkey-Saudi intervention in Syria Asked about the role of Turkey and Saudi Arabia in the recent developments in Syria, he said certain regional countries are intervening in internal affairs of Syria which will not benefit their interests. Western countries’ intervention in Syria, spearheaded by the United States, is natural because they seek their own interests in the country, but activities of the regional countries in Syria will not harm them, commented Velayati, a senior advisor to the Supreme Leader. Protest in Russia provoked by hegemonistic powers Velayati who served as foreign minister in the 1980s and 1990s also said protests against the results of parliamentary elections in Russia have been provoked by the hegemonistic countries who are seeking their own interests in the country.