Khamenei calls Iraq war a showdown between humanity and barbarity

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the Iraq conflict a "showdown between humanity and barbarian savagery" and criticised Western media for portraying it as a war between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims.

Outside powers have often exploited ethnic and religious divisions in Muslim states and "they dream of a war between Shi'ites and Sunnis" that would not happen, he said in Tehran, according to an official statement.