Leader of the Islamic Revolution cautioned about British plots to create division among Muslim nations.
"Today, two wills are confronting each other in the region: the will for unity and the will for disunity," Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was also quoted as saying by his official website.
"The old British policy of 'divide and rule' tops the agenda of Islam's enemies," he said in a meeting with envoys of Muslim countries, as well as the participants and organizers of the 30th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on Saturday.
"In recent days, the Britons have shamelessly described the dear, oppressed Iran as a threat to the region, while it is public knowledge that contrary to the allegations, it is the Britons who are the source of threat, corruption, danger and misery."
The Leader was referring to recent anti-Iran remarks by British Prime Minister Theresa May in a speech to a Persian Gulf Arab summit in Bahrain on Dec. 7.
She told the Persian Gulf Arab leaders that "we must also work together to push back against Iran's aggressive regional actions, whether in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria or in the Persian Gulf itself".
Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the British Ambassador in Tehran Nicholas Hopton over the remarks, which it denounced as "irresponsible, provocative and divisive".
Later in a Wednesday interview with the Saudi news channel Al-Arabiya, May reiterated her hawkish stance, saying she is very "clear-eyed" about Iran's "malign activities", adding that Britain is willing to work with the Persian Gulf Arab states on "ensuring the stability and security of the region".
Ayatollah Khamenei called for unity among Muslims beyond all "religious and ideological differences" to effectively thwart the divisive plots of hegemonic powers.
"Today's world is plagued by numerous problems and pains. Boosting unity, synergy and cooperation, and getting over religious and ideological differences by drawing on Islamic commonalities are the solution to these problems," he said.
