Hawzah News Agency (Qom, Iran) – Speaking to a crowd of Muslims in Washington DC, US, Hujjat al-Islam Ahmad Bahraini expressed his condolences over the martyrdom of holy shrine defender Mohsen Hojaji who was reportedly taken hostage by the Takfiri group near the Iraqi border on Monday and beheaded two days later; The Iranian cleric also slammed the recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.

Praising the sacrifices made by Muslim soldiers in defending holy shrines in Iraq and Syria, Hujjat al-Islam Bahraini remarked, "Martyrdom of Muslim soldiers including Mohsen Hojaji who were trying to defend holy shrines in Iraq and Syria serves to reveal the evil nature of ISIS and their scandals in giving Islam a bad name."

"Killing Muslim soldiers in Iraq and Syria prove the anti-Islamic nature of ISIS; it shows to the world that these terrorists have no other goal but to tarnish the image of genuine Islam; when does Islam allow beheading a war prisoner?" he asked.

 Reiterating that the main purpose of creating ISIS was to tarnish the image of Islam worldwide, Hujjat al-Islam Bahraini added, "When does Islam permit people to attack a mosque in Afghanistan and slaughter Shia worshippers?"