Iran’s ambassador to Nigeria, Mahdavi Raja, has stated that Tehran is willing to support Nigeria in its continuous battle against terrorism.
In an interview with Arise Television, Raja stated that Islamic communities in Nigeria had no political ties to Iran—only spiritual and cultural ones.
The Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, charged on Friday that the Iranian government is funding Islamic outfits in Nigeria and West Africa in an attempt to spread terror around the world.
Freeman’s comments coincided with rallies in multiple states by adherents of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also referred to as Shi’ites, over the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, after recent US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
“We’ve seen Iran spreading terror. We’ve seen them developing a ballistic missile programme and a nuclear programme. Nigeria has been on the receiving end of terrorism from Iran,” Freeman said.
Freeman’s accusations were dismissed by the IMN media forum hours following the remark, which described them as “possible false-flag terrorism by the Israelis.”
“It is both inappropriate and unacceptable for the representative of a state widely found guilty of committing genocide and grave violations of international laws to lecture others about terrorism or security,” Ammar Rajab, chairman of the forum, said in a statement shared with TheCable on Saturday.
‘WE ARE ALSO VICTIMS OF TERRORISM’
In response to the accusations on Sunday, Raja stated that Muslims’ spiritual ties to the late Iranian leader were the reason behind recent demonstrations in favour of Iran in Nigeria by Shi’ites and other groups.
“After the assassination of our supreme leader, there have been peaceful rallies, funerals, and mourning occasions,” he said.
“This does not mean that Iran is defending those groups. It is a moral and spiritual connection because they are Muslims, and we are Muslims.”
Tehran has consistently stated that it is willing to work with governments or nations dealing with terrorism, including Nigeria, and has always denounced terrorism in all its manifestations, Raja continued.
Additionally, the ambassador highlighted that Iran is a victim of terrorism, pointing out that its foreign ministry has consistently taken stances against terrorist activities in Nigeria as well as throughout Africa and other continents.
“We are ready to lend a helping hand. As an ambassador here, I tell Nigerian officials that we are ready to assist in combating terrorism,” he said.
“We know that Nigeria faces threats from Boko Haram, ISWAP, and others. We are ready to share our experience in counterterrorism, as we have extensive experience in the region.”
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