Iran’s Rouhani Says ‘Helpless’ Muslim Countries Oppressed by U.S. ‘Economic Terrorism’

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani slammed Washington’s global clout on Thursday, claiming its manifest financial success and strong dollar combined to oppress helpless Muslim nations.

Rouhani was speaking at a summit in Malaysia aimed at tackling the Islamic world’s economic and social woes.

Hundreds of delegates are attending the gathering — including heads of state and religious leaders — but the meeting has been snubbed by Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest shrines.

In opening remarks, Rouhani decried U.S. international influence in matters of culture, finance and business innovation that left struggling Muslim countries in its wake.

“American economic regime, and dollarisation of national and global economies, have provided the United States with the possibility of advancing its hegemony under the threat of sanctions and economic terrorism,” he said.

The Muslim world needs to be saved “from the domination of the United States dollar, and the American financial regime”, he added, calling for greater financial cooperation between Islamic countries.

In his welcome address at the Kuala Lumpur event, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad added Muslim countries were “in a state of crisis, helpless and unworthy of this great religion which is meant to be good for mankind”.

He also insisted summit organisers were “not discriminating (against) or isolating anyone” after the absence of Saudi Arabia triggered speculation the meeting was aimed at countering the kingdom’s influence.

We have “invited almost all Muslim nations to participate in this summit, albeit at different levels”, he said.

As Breitbart News reported, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan chose not to attend the summit that was organized largely on the impulse of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is presiding alongside Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Erdogan arrived in Malaysia with a sizable entourage, including First Lady Emine Erdogan and most of his top ministers, plus heavyweights from the ruling Islamist AKP Party.

Unfortunately for Erdogan’s ambitions, Saudi Arabia chose not to attend, triggering a string of demurrals that culminated in Pakistan also bowing out.

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