Addressing the 20th session of the General Committee of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) in Tehran on Monday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani held meetings with his foreign counterparts to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues. In separate meetings, Larijani had talks with the parliament speakers of Pakistan, Syria, Oman and Senegal. During his speech, Larijani highlighted the need to establish and enhance economic relations among Islamic countries for stronger Muslim unity to foil hostile plots that seek division in the Islamic world. He also stressed the need to devise mechanisms to interconnect political issues and economic activities of Muslim countries: Islamic governments could work in various fields such as the energy industry and investment. Larijani criticized Donald Trump’s offensive comments about countries like Haiti and African nations made during a recent meeting at the White House, saying such “derogatory and disparaging” remarks spell the era of “modern barbarism” when political language turns insulting.
