HOLY CITY OF QOM, Iran: Iranian clerics have condemned on Sunday China for "horribly" suppressing Muslim Uighurs in deadly unrest between the Uighurs and Han Chinese that has killed more than 180 people.

In a statement to ISNA news agency, Ayatollah Sheikh Nasser Makarem Shirazi said:"It is true that the Chinese government and its people have close economic and political ties with us and other Islamic countries, but this is no reason for them to horribly suppress our Muslim brothers and sisters."

"We strongly condemn this suppression and urge all Muslims of the world to demand in one voice that the Chinese government end this situation and punish the criminals."

Shirazi also took a dig at Iranian officials for remaining "silent" over the unrest in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.

The Society of Qom's Seminary Scholars, the top clerical body from the holy city of Qom that houses the holy shrine of holy Prophet Hazret Muhammad (p)'s eighth infallible descendant Imam Reza (a.s.)'s sister Hazret Fatimeh Al-Masumeh (a.s.), also lashed out at China over the unrest.

"The Chinese government has called this horrible killing a tribal clash, but reports say that the government has been taking the side of one special racist group in this conflict," it said in a statement issued on its website.

It urged the Chinese government to "end this conflict by confronting it firmly and responsibly and by taking into consideration the rights of the Muslims."

The body also urged the Iranian foreign ministry to pursue the issue "diplomatically" until it is resolved.

Iranian officials have yet to issue an official reaction on the unrest in Xinjiang, whose eight million Uighurs have long complained about repressive Chinese rule, grievances which the government says are baseless.

Uighurs reportedly attacked Han Chinese during the July 5 unrest and destroyed their shops but exiled Uighur leaders said the protests were peaceful until security forces over-reacted with deadly force.