TEHRAN -- The interim Friday Prayer Leader of Tehran took a sharp snipe at the U.S. administration for accusing Iran of terrorist activities.

The provisional Friday prayer leader of Tehran Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani said here on Friday that the U.S. administration, the main supporter of the criminal racist-Zionist regime, claims that Iran, that is the standard bearer of peace in the world and the pioneer of stability in the region, is a terrorist state, IRNA reported.

Ayatollah Emami Kashani meanwhile expressed surprise over the contents of a letter signed by 60 American intellectuals in support of the warmongering policies of the Bush administration, arguing: "Look how those individuals justify the U.S. attacks and label any objection towards U.S. policies as opposing the Western values, which they say are the symbols of their old and traditional culture and need to be safeguarded from annihilation."

He asked: "Are the oppressed nations, that are opposed to U.S. foreign policies, really the enemies of civilization, industries and sciences?"

The Ayatollah further asked, "When the people chant their Down With USA' slogans, does that mean down with the U.S. industries, culture and scientific achievements? Or does it even mean down with the prevailing corrupt social conduct seen in the United States?"

He replied his own questions, defining the "Down With America" slogan as "Down with the despotism initiated by the White House, as well as the deceitful policies and faulty justifications of the U.S. administration."

Emami Kashani added: "This slogan is against the executioners, despotic leaders and pioneers of the typical crimes conducted by the racist-Zionist regime against the Palestinian nation."

The interim Friday prayer leader announced: "This motto is not against the civil society and the people of America, neither their decent citizens, nor even their criminals, and the American nation thoroughly realizes this reality."

Emami Kashani recalled the U.S. theoreticians who used to justify former U.S. President Joan F. Kenedy's attacks against the poor Vietnamese nation, advising the American intellectuals to learn from the past experiences of their history.

He said: "Such comments, when made by authors, university professors, and intellectuals, are astonishing, since with those words they oppress the world public opinion."

Making a point of the world Muslims' unity around the holy axis of Islam, Ayatollah Emami Kashani emphasized: "Inside Iran, too, we are in need of a national unity, stronger than what is observed today."

Referring to the remarks by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in the presence of the Experts Assembly, and his emphasis on the need to strengthen the pillars of "religious democracy" in Iran, Emami Kashani added, "When an Islamic society intends to observe justice, be brave and maintain its strength, it is in dire need of observing religious democracy.