Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmad el-Tayyeb has reiterated calls on the Shiite clerics in Iran and Iraq to issue fatwas (religious opinions) that emphatically prohibit insulting the wives and companions of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
Tayyeb's remarks came during a meeting Thursday with the Iran's charge d'affaires in Cairo.
Tayyeb, who chairs the Sunni Islam's highest authority, said if the Shiites showed goodwill, Al-Azhar could sponsor a Shia-Sunni dialogue, warning of provoking sectarian and religious conflicts between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
The Iranian diplomat hailed Al-Azhar's efforts in bridging the gab between the two sects, saying that his country is fully open to such efforts.