Rouhani: US Mistake on Quds Bolstered Muslim Unity

President Hassan Rouhani said US President Donald Trump's mistake to recognize Beit-ul-Moqaddas as Israel's capital has made Muslims more united on the Palestinian issue.

Addressing a meeting of Iran's Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution in Tehran on Tuesday, Rouhani briefed participants in the meeting on a recent summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which was held in the Turkish city of Istanbul last week to coordinate a response to the US decision.

"The mistake of the US president in relocating his country's embassy to the holy Quds has united Muslims on the issue of Quds and Palestine," President.ir quoted Rouhani as saying.

Rouhani added that as a result of the US move, the issue of Quds, which had been relegated as a secondary matter in recent years due to the scourge of regional terrorism, once again regained its prominent place.

Trump's announcement to officially declare the holy city as Israel's capital has prompted an outpouring of anger in the Muslim and Arab world.

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to denounce Israel and show solidarity with the Palestinians across the Muslim world and occupied lands in what has been termed as a new intifada (uprising).

The president stressed that "this [decision] was a conspiracy against Palestine, Quds and the Islamic world, which has since backfired."

Rouhani had previously said Trump's move showed that it "was not an honest mediator" and never will be, adding that it only wanted to "secure the interests of the Zionists".

During his speech at the OIC meeting, the president had called for unity among Muslim countries, saying Quds should become Muslim countries' top priority.

"Iran is ready to cooperate with all Muslim countries without any precondition to defend the legitimate rights of Palestinians," Rouhani told the gathering in Istanbul.