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&nbsp;including heads of state and religious leaders but the meeting has been <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysia-defends-muslim-summit-shunned-by-saudi-slammed-by-oic-269055">snubbed by Saudi Arabia</a>, home to Islam's holiest shrines.

The summit has also been criticised for undermining the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), the Saudi-based global body representing Muslim nations and organisations.

Issues including the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-rohingya-worlds-fastest-growing-refugee-crisis-267598">plight of Myanmar's Rohingya</a> and China's mostly Muslim Uighur minority could be discussed, although, with massive Chinese infrastructure in many Islamic nations, criticism may be muted.

Also Watch:&nbsp;Plight of Rohingyas is world's fastest-growing refugee crisis

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In opening remarks, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani&nbsp;slammed Washington's global clout.

"American economic regime, and dollarisation 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 United States re-imposed crippling sanctions on Iran in 2018 after withdrawing from an international deal aimed at tackling the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-nuclear-deal-parties-meet-as-accord-nears-collapse-266694">Islamic republic's nuclear programme</a>.

In his welcome address at the Kuala Lumpur event, Malaysian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysian-pm-mahathir-mohamad-suggests-he-could-stay-in-office-beyond-2020-268284/amp">Mahathir Mohamad</a> 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 organisers 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.

With Saudi rivals Iran, Qatar and Turkey in attendance, analysts had suggested the meeting could be aimed at forming a rival bloc to the OIC.&nbsp;

There were signs Riyadh was worried, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-imran-khan-cancels-malaysia-summit-under-saudi-diplomatic-pressure-268893">withdrawing from the gathering</a> reportedly after Saudi pressure.

Mahathir dismissed such concerns in a phone call this week with Saudi Arabia's King Salman.&nbsp;

But the OIC, which has 57 members, launched a veiled attack Wednesday on the event, saying such gatherings would weaken Islam.

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.

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 criticised for undermining the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), the Saudi-based global body representing Muslim nations and organisations. Issues including the plight of Myanmar's Rohingya and China's mostly Muslim Uighur minority could be discussed, although, with massive Chinese infrastructure in many Islamic nations, criticism may be muted. Also Watch: Plight of Rohingyas is world's fastest-growing refugee crisis × In opening remarks, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani slammed Washington's global clout. "American economic regime, and dollarisation 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 United States re-imposed crippling sanctions on Iran in 2018 after withdrawing from an international deal aimed at tackling the Islamic republic's nuclear programme. 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 organisers 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. With Saudi rivals Iran, Qatar and Turkey in attendance, analysts had suggested the meeting could be aimed at forming a rival bloc to the OIC. There were signs Riyadh was worried, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan withdrawing from the gathering reportedly after Saudi pressure. Mahathir dismissed such concerns in a phone call this week with Saudi Arabia's King Salman. But the OIC, which has 57 members, launched a veiled attack Wednesday on the event, saying such gatherings would weaken Islam.

Iran urges to fight against US 'economic terrorism' at Muslim summit

A Myanmar court will hear the appeal later this month of two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis, a lawyer said Saturday.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were found guilty under a state secrets act in September after exposing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men during a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's western Rakhine state last year.

The pair&nbsp;who have been held behind bars for nearly a year since their arrest last December were sentenced to seven years in jail, a verdict that drew widespread condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence.

Lawyer Than Zaw Aung told AFP the date for the appeal hearing has been set for December 24 at the Yangon regional court.

"It is difficult to say how long the appeal can take," he said, estimating that it would run for "at least two weeks", but could stretch to months.&nbsp;

"We are hoping for their unconditional release."

The reporters will remain in prison during the appeal process.

The pair were investigating the massacre of 10 Rohingya men by security forces in Inn Din village, an atrocity that the military later admitted in a rare acknowledgement of wrongdoing.&nbsp;

And as the much-criticized trial was being held, one whistleblowing police officer told the court how a superior had ordered his men to set up a sting to entrap the reporters&nbsp;testimony the judge chose to ignore.

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has remained defiant in the face of criticism and insisted the case upheld the rule of law&nbsp;further tarnishing her image as a democracy icon after her silence over the military's actions against the Rohingya Muslims.

UN investigators have called for senior military generals to be prosecuted for genocide over their handling of the Rohingya crisis, in which more than 720,000 people were forcibly expelled to neighbouring Bangladesh's refugee camps.&nbsp;

A Myanmar court will hear the appeal later this month of two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis, a lawyer said Saturday. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were found guilty under a state secrets act in September after exposing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men during a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's western Rakhine state last year.

A Myanmar court will hear the appeal later this month of two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis, a lawyer said Saturday. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were found guilty under a state secrets act in September after exposing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men during a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's western Rakhine state last year. The pair who have been held behind bars for nearly a year since their arrest last December were sentenced to seven years in jail, a verdict that drew widespread condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence. Lawyer Than Zaw Aung told AFP the date for the appeal hearing has been set for December 24 at the Yangon regional court. "It is difficult to say how long the appeal can take," he said, estimating that it would run for "at least two weeks", but could stretch to months. "We are hoping for their unconditional release." The reporters will remain in prison during the appeal process. The pair were investigating the massacre of 10 Rohingya men by security forces in Inn Din village, an atrocity that the military later admitted in a rare acknowledgement of wrongdoing. And as the much-criticized trial was being held, one whistleblowing police officer told the court how a superior had ordered his men to set up a sting to entrap the reporters testimony the judge chose to ignore. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has remained defiant in the face of criticism and insisted the case upheld the rule of law further tarnishing her image as a democracy icon after her silence over the military's actions against the Rohingya Muslims. UN investigators have called for senior military generals to be prosecuted for genocide over their handling of the Rohingya crisis, in which more than 720,000 people were forcibly expelled to neighbouring Bangladesh's refugee camps.

Myanmar court to hear jailed reporters appeal this month

The European Union ambassador to Myanmar, Roland Kobia, urged the new government to take &#39;meaningful actions&#39; regarding the contentious Rohingya issue in a news conference in Yangon today. 
 
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has told the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights that the government will avoid using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; to describe a persecuted Muslim minority in the country&#39;s northwest, an official said on Monday. 
 
Kobia said the EU welcomes the new government &#39;assuring commitment&#39; to address the sensitive issue, insisting the government to &#39;listen&#39; more to the community in Rakhine and to &#39;act accordingly&#39;. 
 
&quot;Terminology issues are important, we know because they refer to wider and deeper principles but we believe that the situation in Rakhine also deserves urgent and meaningful action on the ground,&quot; Kobia said. 
 
Members of the 1.1 million group, who identify themselves by the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; and live in apartheid-like conditions, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. 
 
The term is a divisive issue. 
 
The EU also announced to donate a total of Euros 688 million ($776.61 million) to Myanmar in development aid, focusing on various areas including education, rural development and good governance. 
 
(Reuters)

The European Union has also announced that it will donate Euros 688 million to Myanmar in development aid

The European Union ambassador to Myanmar, Roland Kobia, urged the new government to take 'meaningful actions' regarding the contentious Rohingya issue in a news conference in Yangon today. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has told the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights that the government will avoid using the term "Rohingya" to describe a persecuted Muslim minority in the country's northwest, an official said on Monday. Kobia said the EU welcomes the new government 'assuring commitment' to address the sensitive issue, insisting the government to 'listen' more to the community in Rakhine and to 'act accordingly'. "Terminology issues are important, we know because they refer to wider and deeper principles but we believe that the situation in Rakhine also deserves urgent and meaningful action on the ground," Kobia said. Members of the 1.1 million group, who identify themselves by the term "Rohingya" and live in apartheid-like conditions, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The term is a divisive issue. The EU also announced to donate a total of Euros 688 million ($776.61 million) to Myanmar in development aid, focusing on various areas including education, rural development and good governance. (Reuters)

EU urges Myanmar to take meaningful action on Rohingya issue