Iran urges Muslims to avoid trade with Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei urged Muslims to avoid trade with Israel, the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.

"Purchase, import, re-import and promotion of any products whose profits will be given to Israeli occupiers directly or indirectly are forbidden and Muslims are not allowed to do so," Khamenei said.

"Since the Zionists are now at war with Islam, Muslims should avoid any action which might bring them profits," he said, adding that "Muslims should avoid any type of trade which might inflict losses on Islam and Muslims worldwide."

Iran's government warned on Sunday that companies of foreign countries dealing with Israel would be punished, according to Iran's satellite Press TV's report released on Monday.

"Iranian government has sent a bill to parliament that would hold liable any firm that directly or indirectly aids or abets Israel," the report said, adding that the bill "finalized by the (Iranian President) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad administration on Sunday, will impose sanctions on any foreign firms dealing with Israel or monetarily supporting Israeli interests."

The report added that there would be punitive measures for those companies if the Iranian parliament passes the bill.

Since the Israeli offensive on Gaza began on Dec. 27, 2008, Iran has uninterruptedly condemned the "Zionist regime's crimes on Gazans" and has incessantly called on the Arab states to break silence in favor of Gazan people.

Some Iranian officials have also asked oil-rich Muslim countries to use the oil weapon as a means of pressure against Israel.

More than 930 people in the impoverished Gaza Strip have been killed and some 4,100 others wounded since the launch of the Israeli raid, which it said was aimed at revenging Hamas rocket and mortar attacks.

Hamas is an alliance with Iran which does not recognize Israel as a state of the international community.