Marking the 9th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, US President Barack Obama has urged national unity among Americans, Press TV reported.
Obama used his weekly internet and radio address on Saturday to remember a day that "tested" the country, promising Americans an emerging era of hope and free from fear.
"This is a time of difficulty for our country. And it is often in such moments that some try to stoke bitterness -- to divide us based on our differences, to blind us to what we have in common," the US president was quoted by AFP as saying.
"But on this day, we are reminded that at our best, we do not give in to this temptation," President Obama continued. "We stand with one another. We fight alongside one another. We do not allow ourselves to be defined by fear, but by the hopes we have for our families, for our nation, and for a brighter future."
Earlier, in a White House news conference held on Friday, the US president called on Americans to foster tolerance in the society, describing American Muslims as "fellow citizens."
"We've got millions of Muslim-Americans, our fellow citizens, in this country," he said, adding "They're going to school with our kids. They're our neighbors. They're our friends. They're our co-workers."