Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran urges 'fairness and justice' to non-Muslims

TEHRAN, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, said in a meeting that Islam encourages "fairness and justice," while criticizing the lack of safety for Muslims in Western countries.

In a meeting with representatives of religious minorities in Iran's Parliament, Khamenei said there was no record of aggression by Muslims against non-Muslims after Iran's revolution in 1979.

He said that Iran learned from Islam to treat followers of other religions with "fairness and justice."

"What is seen in the world today is that powers and governments which claim to [advocate] fairness and justice do not observe any fairness and justice except within the bounds of their narrow, limited and cruel policies," he said in the meeting.

Khamenei referenced the film "American Sniper" as an example of how it encourages Islamophobia and harassment against Muslims.

He further criticized the lack of safety of Muslims in Western countries, including the United States, by stating claims of young Neo-nazis attacking Muslims and damaging mosques and of Arab girls being beaten up or killed because they wore a hijab.

Safety, not freedom, is the main issue for Muslims in many of these countries, Khamenei said.