Unity is a strategic ideal, not a temporary tactic

Mamosta Amjad Amiri, the Friday Prayer Leader of Shwisheh, in an interview with the Taghrib News Agency (TNA), stated: "The view of unity in the thought of the leaders of the Islamic Revolution has never been a tactical and temporary issue, but rather a strategic and comprehensive ideal that, based on the Quran and tradition, calls the Islamic Ummah to trans-sectarian and even trans-religious convergence."

Referring to the historic ruling of Imam Khomeini (RA) regarding Salman Rushdie, he noted: "He issued a ruling of apostasy because of the insult to Prophet Ibrahim (AS), the wives of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and Sunni sanctities – which itself is the height of practical defense of unity between Shia and Sunni. Also, the martyred leader of the revolution always placed the 'united Ummah' at the center of his discourse in his statements, and emphasized that technical and minor religious differences should not lead to separation and division."

The Friday Prayer Leader of Shwisheh described the 2009 visit of the late leader to Kurdistan province as a clear symbol of this practical strategy, and stated: "In that visit, with a listening ear and by visiting families whose children had lost their lives in counter-revolutionary incidents, he showed that unity is not just a slogan; rather, visiting the survivors and serving various segments, even with intellectual differences, is a concrete example of 'practical unity.' This ethical behavior caused many families themselves to become supporters of the system."

Referring to the impact of this visit on the cultural atmosphere of Kurdistan, Mamosta Amiri added: "The martyred leader's emphasis on 'civilization-building and culture-building' in Kurdistan province led the people of this region to focus more on expanding their religious and indigenous culture, and this approach strengthened convergence among ethnic groups and denominations."

In response to a question about the role of the leadership in neutralizing the enemies' divisive conspiracies, he said: "When the leader of Iran's Shiites explicitly states that insulting Sunni sanctities is an 'English-American' act, this statement acts as a valid document that renders all external conspiracies ineffective. The people, with their insight, will not allow any harm to come to this unity."

In conclusion, the Friday Prayer Leader of Shwisheh expressed hope that Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, like his martyred father, would continue the path and ideals of unity with the same strength, and emphasized: "We expect nothing but the continuation of this clear path, and we believe that the Supreme Leader of the Revolution (may his shadow be prolonged) will also be the completer of this divine path."