Erdogan opened the largest Islamic center in the US, Obama refused the invitation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday officially opened the mosque of the recently built Diyanet Islamic Center, presented as the largest Islamic center in the state of Maryland (USA), with an investment value of around 110 million dollars, according to world media, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

Erdogan spoke about the difficult times for Muslims and the growing xenophobia and fear of Muslims.

- Unfortunately, we are going through a difficult period for Muslims, who are often pointed at in the world after attacks - said Erdogan, citing recent examples of Brussels and Paris, as well as New York on September 11, 2001.

He believes that this center will play a key role in America's reconciliation with its Islam.

- Terrorism has no religion; Muslims have to pay the price of distrust for a handful of terrorists - said the Turkish president.

This Islamic center was built in the model of the golden age of Ottoman architecture of the 16th century with two minarets and strongly resembles Istanbul's Süleymaniye Mosque.

US President Barack Obama did not accept Erdogan's invitation to cut the ribbon at the center's opening.

Ankara-Washington relations have significantly deteriorated after Turkey attacked Washington's Kurdish allies in the fight against the so-called Islamic State and after increasingly frequent Turkish violations of media freedom.