Al-Monitor- Maj.Gen.Qasem Soleimanirarely makes political speeches, but on Aug. 20, the commander of Iran'sQudsForcewarned that Iranfacestwo dangers, one internal and the other external.
Soleimani described the external threat asan invasion against the Islamic world, while the internal threat wasreligious sedition.Given that the speech was in honor of World Mosque Day, Soleimani stressed the importance of mosques in combating both threats.
What made Soleimanis speech unique was his inclusive position andhis rejection of titles and labels to divide Iranians, particularly along religious lines. Why do we constantly use labels such as unveiled or poorly veiled or Reformist or Principlist'? Soleimani asked. Who will then remain after that? Allchildren are not the same, but it is the father who can gather them around each other. The Friday prayer leaders must be able to attract the veiled, poorly veiled and the unveiled.