Khamenei warns against US, NATO

TEHRAN, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the leaders of uprisings that have toppled Arab regimes to be wary of U.S. and NATO roles in forming their new governments.

Iran's supreme leader told those attending an international Islamic conference in Tehran Saturday that the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations will seek to dominate the fledgling governments in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere, Ynetnews reported. Arab states, he said, should reject such interference and stick to Islamic traditions.

He called the string of uprisings known as the Arab Spring an "Islamic awaking," the Israeli news Web site said.

The Tehran Times reported the two-day Islamic conference is being attended by about 600 scholars and intellectuals from 80 countries who are discussing the region's political metamorphosis. The newspaper said government officials were not invited to participate.

The conference is unofficial and the countries' officials have not been invited to take part in the event.