Bahrain Mirror - AFP: US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Muslim leaders to take a stand against violence committed in the name of religion, describing the struggle against extremism as a "battle between good and evil".

In a highly anticipated speech to dozens of leaders of Muslim countries in Saudi Arabia, Trump lashed out at Iran and softened his tone on Islam by rejecting the idea of a battle between religions.

He also avoided criticizing his Saudi hosts and assembled leaders of Arab and Islamic nations on any human rights violations in their countries -- a clear break from the practice of his predecessor Barack Obama.

"This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it. This is a battle between good and evil," Trump said.

His stance was later underlined by his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, in a joint news conference with his Saudi counterpart.

"The president is clearly indicating that this fight of good against evil has nothing to do with religion. It has nothing to do with country. It has nothing to do with ethnicity," Tillerson said.

Trump's address was the centrepiece of his visit to Riyadh, which started on Saturday with the announcement of billions of dollars in trade deals with Saudi Arabia and continued Sunday with the speech and meetings with Arab leaders.

His speech sought to rally Islamic leaders behind a renewed push to tackle extremism, with Trump urging religious leaders to condemn violence and governments of Muslim countries to make further efforts to end support for extremists.

"Of course, there is still much work to be done. That means honestly confronting the crisis of Islamic extremism and the Islamists and Islamic terror of all kinds."

Advance excerpts of the speech had Trump using the term "Islamist terrorism" -- an apparent softening in tone -- but the president veered off-script in his delivery.

Trump appealed to Muslim nations to ensure that "terrorists find no sanctuary on their soil", and announced an agreement with Gulf states to combat financing for extremists.

"A better future is only possible if your nations drive out the terrorists and drive out the extremists. Drive them out! Drive them out of your places of worship! Drive them out of your communities!" Trump said.

The president made no mention of human rights during his visit, and in the speech insisted: "We are not here to lecture -- we are not here to tell other people how to live."

In another move sure to please his hosts, Trump accused Saudi Arabia's regional rival Shiite Iran of fueling "the fires of sectarian conflict and terror".

"Until the Iranian regime is willing to be a partner for peace, all nations of conscience must work together to isolate it," Trump said.

Some 35 heads of state and government from Muslim-majority countries were in Riyadh for the Arab Islamic American Summit, mainly from Sunni states friendly to Saudi Arabia.

On Sunday, he met Bahrain's King Hamad, and confirmed that the strains in the US-Gulf relations that were present during the Obama administration will not be repeated under his administration.

"There has been a little strain, but there won't be strain with this administration," he stated according to AFP.

Trump also met Egypt's President Abdul Fattah Sisi and called him "my friend", and expressed his intention to visit Egypt soon.

Arabic Version