Islamic Awakening is Muslims’ response to centuries of colonialism: Iran`s Velayati

TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (MNA) -- The Islamic Awakening occurring in the Arab world is the response of Muslims to long years of colonialism, according to the director of the Permanent Secretariat of the World Assembly of the Islamic Awakening. Ali Akbar Velayati made the remarks during a speech at the two-day World Conference on Youth and Islamic Awakening, which opened at Tehran’s Milad Tower on Sunday. More than 1200 young people from 73 countries are attending the conference. In his speech, Velayati, who is currently an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said, “The Islamic Awakening has not been limited to geographical boundaries. The Islamic Awakening is a reaction to centuries of political dependence and the plunder of Muslim nations’ resources.” The Islamic Awakening is not an emerging phenomenon, he asserted, noting, “The Islamic Awakening movement, which began 150 years ago thanks to the efforts of Muslim scholars, activists, and figures, has entered a new phase with the recent developments in the Arab countries of the region, which have their roots in Muslim countries’ Islamic identity.” “The current uprising in the Muslim world can be regarded as a pivotal phase, during which Muslim people have manifested their presence on the world political scene through gaining collective self-awareness,” he stated. Velayati added that the tide of popular uprisings rolling across the Middle East and North Africa region is anti-hegemonistic, Islamic, and peaceful in nature. He went on to say that the presence of youth on the scene is another important characteristic of these developments. Velayati, who formerly served as Iran’s foreign minister, also said that the demonstrators are calling for the elimination of foreign interference, the revival of their Islamic identity, the resolution of their social and economic problems, and the restoration of the rights of nations, particularly the Palestinian nation. He added, “Today, the Western world and the global arrogance (forces of imperialism) are making efforts to undermine Islamic movements” and derail them.