Hawzah News Agency (Qom, Iran) – Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi received a group of Sunni scholars from the Iranian province of Hormozgan in his office on Sunday, February 19, ۲۰۱۷. During this meeting, the Shia scholar addressed the clerics saying, "One of the enemies' major plots to undermine Islamic Unity is to breed discord and conflict within the Muslim Ummah."

Speaking of his memories during the period when he was expelled by the former Shah of Iran prior to the victory of 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Shia source of emulation, added, "When I was expelled by the former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to the Sunni majority cities of western Iran, I had the opportunity to get to know and interact with Sunni Muslims and we managed to establish friendly relations some of which have lasted to this date."

"The enemies are out to cause discord and chaos among Muslims; that's why we as a Muslim community must always be alert in the face of such threats and never back down in our resolve," Hawzah News quoted Ayatollah Makarem as saying.

Advising the Sunni and Shia clerics to attend to the youth's affairs, the Grand Ayatollah asserted, "Do your best to train the youth based on original Islamic teachings and values, since the enemies mostly target the younger generations and carry out their vicious plots through influencing them."

"Muslim scholars should teach the youth value of prayers and attending the mosque; they also need to inform the younger generations about the potential threats being imposed on them through cyberspace,"  concluded the cleric.