Iranian President Hassan Rohani has condemned the killings at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, saying: “We condemn extremism, violence and terrorism, be they in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria or in France or the U.S.”
“Those who make undue claims to jihad, religion and Islam in order to justify killings and violence and extremism willy-nilly will strengthen Islamophobia,” President Rohani told a conference on Islamic unity held to mark the birth of the Prophet Mohammad.
On Wednesday, 12 people were gunned down in the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris. The magazine is known for its provocative caricatures, which include those of the Prophet Mohammad and other Muslim figures.
Rohani said: “Iran stands beside all nations that stand against terrorism… Islam stands for the rule of law, for surrender to justice and for peace. We continue the path of Islam and are honoured by it.”
The latest reports indicate that after two days of pursuit, the two suspects in the attack on Charlie Hebdo were killed in the course of a showdown with French police along with a number of hostages.
