Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi slammed the "ignorance" of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for claiming that Western civilization is superior to Islam, the state IRNA news agency reported Friday.
"At a time when the future of human beings relies on the mutual cooperation among civilizations, such rude statements are unacceptable," Kharazi said late Thursday, accusing Berlusconi of being "irresponsible."
On Wednesday, Berlusconi told Italian journalists travelling with him to Berlin, that the West "should be confident of the superiority of our civilization."
Berlusconi's reported comments have received widespread condemnation, not only from the Italian opposition and press but also from leading EU figures who are trying to build bridges with Muslim states and forge what the EU described as "the broadest possible global coalition against terrorism."
Later, Berlusconi's spokesman defended the prime minister, saying he could not be accused of insulting Islam after having "fought for the participation of moderate Arab countries in the alliance against terrorism" and called for a solution to the crisis in the Middle East -- TEHRAN (AFP)
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