Mideast Breakup Would Have Dangerous Consequences

A senior official said the US and some other western governments intend to partition countries in the Middle East, warning that the breakup of Muslim states would lead to "dangerous" consequences.

"What is pursued by the US and western countries is to partition Syria into four parts and the same issue is also envisaged for Iraq to be divided into three parts and also for Yemen to be divided into at least two parts," Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, said in a meeting with a Tunisian parliamentary delegation in Tehran on Saturday, Press TV reported.

He said the disintegration of Muslim countries would lead to "dangerous consequences and outcomes."

"Terrorists and extremists are a tool in the hands of the Americans and the Zionists who support them. The aim of terrorism and arrogant powers is to weaken and partition Muslim countries," he said.

Referring to the dangerous conditions and the presence of terrorists in the region, he said, "There is an undesirable and dangerous situation surrounding Tunisia, which has led to insecurity in the region."

The advisor emphasized that Muslim countries have vast resources and can potentially become an important part of the world power. He, however, warned that they could turn into "ineffective governments" in case of their division.

Velayati hoped that the ongoing wars in Iraq and Syria as well as conflicts in regional countries would end.

Gruesome violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since the self-styled Islamic State terrorists mounted an offensive there more than two years ago and took control of parts of Iraqi territory.

The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which started in March 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 people, according to an estimate by United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.