NEW YORK, Feb 25: In a strongly-worded statement aimed at quelling violence in Iraq, the senior United Nations envoy to that country on Saturday deplored recent sectarian attacks and urged a united front against those who are instigating them.

“Iraq is too precious to allow evil actions and evil persons to fan the flames of evil passions that daily claim the lives of innocent Iraqis,” said Ashraf Qazi, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative in Baghdad.

“All Iraqis must now come together in a spirit of fraternity and love to consider concrete measures to defeat the carefully prepared plans of those who are determined to create conditions of civil war.”

Mr Qazi deplored the recent attacks on religious sites. “The destruction of the shrine of two imams was a shocking tragedy. It was an act of sacrilege. It was an affront to all Muslims. It represented treachery against all Iraqis.”