Kiumars Hashemi, right, has denounced events in Myanmar ©National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran

National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran President Kiumars Hashimi has denounced the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar in a letter sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach.

He called on the IOC to use their influence with the United Nations and other international bodies.

"We are observing disastrous killing of Muslims in Myanmar," Hashimi wrote, as reported by the Islamic News Agency.

"Many men and women are being killed.

"This is while Myanmar officials and also international communities have remained silent."

A crackdown by military forces and extremist Buddhists against the Rohingya community in the western region of Rakhine State began late last year.

It began in response to attacks on border police camps by unidentified insurgents.

Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled into neighbouring states ©Getty Images
Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled into neighbouring states ©Getty Images

Nearly 410,000 people are thought to have fled into neighbouring Bangladesh.

There have also been claims of "summary executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and ill-treatment and forced labour".

It has been branded as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing" by the United Nations.

Leaders from other Muslim-majority countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan have also attempted to pressure the Myanmar Government into ending the persecution.