DUBAI, Dec 9: The eighth summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) which opened in Tehran today with participation by the 55-member countries is seen as a big blow to the US which was trying to isolate Iran internationally.

Verses from ``the Koran'' were recited before Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the summit with a plea for unity. There were reports in the Egyptian press that Washington tried to put pressure on one of its Gulf allies not to attend the three-day summit. Even those which boycotted the recent United States backed Middle East and North African conference in Doha opted to attend the Islamic summit.

Tehran has been spruced up for the event with authorities closing schools for four days to focus on the event which restored Iran as a regional power politically and diplomatically.

To the chagrin of the US, Iran will now take over the chairmanship of the OIC for three years which means Washington's efforts to isolate Tehran politically has been rejected by the region, observers said.The US has described Iran as ``a rogue state'' for its alleged support to terrorists and declared unilateral sanctions against Iran. One of the strongest US allies Saudi Arabia sent Crown Prince Abdulla Bin Abdul Aziz to the summit. Among those attending the summit are Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif, Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed, Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan Bin Talal and Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan.

Iran did considerable groundwork before the summit sending emissaries to neighbouring Gulf Arab states offering the hand of friendship. The election of Mohammed Khatami as President also helped Tehran to rally round the Islamic states for the summit.

The OIC has provided a platform for the Muslim countries to bury their differences at the conference table. It has brought together Iraq, Iran and Turkey as well as Qatar and Egypt among other countries helping them to iron out their differences.

AFP adds: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave a rallying call for the liberation of Palestine and blasted the US while inaugurating the OIC summit.