Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks at a press conference in Tehran, Iran, on Oct. 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

 

The president of sanctions-hit Iran called Thursday for Muslim countries to cooperate in fighting US "economic terrorism" at the opening of a summit aimed at tackling the Islamic world's woes.

Hundreds of delegates are attending the gathering in Malaysia - including heads of state and religious leaders - but the meeting has been snubbed by Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest shrines.

The summit has also been criticized for undermining the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the Saudi-based global body representing Muslim nations and organizations.

In opening remarks, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani slammed Washington's global clout.

"American economic regime, and dollarization of national and global economies, have provided the United States with the possibility of advancing its hegemony under the threat of sanctions and economic terrorism," he said.

The Muslim world needs to be saved "from the domination of the United States dollar, and the American financial regime," he added, calling for greater financial cooperation between Islamic countries.

The US reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran in 2018 after withdrawing from an international deal aimed at tackling the Islamic republic's nuclear program.

In his welcome address at the Kuala Lumpur event, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that Muslim countries were "in a state of crisis, helpless and unworthy of this great religion which is meant to be good for mankind."

He also insisted summit organizers were "not discriminating [against] or isolating anyone" after the absence of Saudi Arabia triggered speculation the meeting was aimed at countering the kingdom's influence.

We have "invited almost all Muslim nations to participate in this summit, albeit at different levels," he said.

Analysts had suggested the meeting could be aimed at forming a rival bloc to the OIC. The OIC, which has 57 members, launched a veiled attack Wednesday on the event, saying such gatherings would weaken Islam.