Scholar Highlights Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani’s Support for Palestinian Cause
Talal Atrisi, who is a professor of sociology, told IQNA that Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani was a key figure in Iran’s Islamic Revolution and played a major role in the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"Since the beginning, he insisted on Iran’s positive and successful ties with Muslim countries. He also had good and constructive ties with Saudi Arabia, the main representative of Sunnis in the world and travelled to Saudi Arabia to meet with the country’s officials,” Atrisi said.
He noted that Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani always underlined the need for development of relations among Muslim countries and avoiding issues that cause tension and crisis in the relations.
"It can be said with confidence that Hashemi Rafsanjani was a flag-bearer of Islamic unity,” he added.
Atrisi referred to Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani’s translation of the book "The Palestinian Issue” by Jordanian politician Akram Zuaitar into Persian in 1963 and said the Ayatollah was one of the first figures to pay attention to the issue of Palestine.
The Lebanese political analyst then referred to Ayatollah Rafsanjani’s character, saying he had a strong and courageous character and made his views known without any fear.
He had a character that remained strong in the face of all challenges, changes and differences of opinion, he said.
Elsewhere, Atrisi referred to the Iraq-imposed war on Iran in the 1980s and highlighted Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani’s prominent role in the war.
The Lebanese scholar also pointed to the massive presence of Iranians in the funeral of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, saying the Iranian nation knows well the role he played in the revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic.
Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani was an exceptional figure in the history of Iran, he said, adding that no one can talk or write about the country’s contemporary history without mentioning the Ayatollah’s name.
Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani died on January 8 at the age of 82.
