ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's prime minister told a US delegation in Baghdad on Thursday that disrespecting the country's religious figures is "an affront" to the feelings of Muslims. After the meeting, US Ambassador Alina Romanowski posted on X that they "reject any suggestion of targeting Grand Ayatollah Sistani."
A rightwing Israeli broadcaster recently displayed the images of six Iranian and pro-Iran figures, including Iraq's highest Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, with crosshairs on their heads, implying that they are potential targets.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said in a statement after meeting the US delegation in Baghdad that "the Zionist entity has escalated its transgressions by disrespecting revered figures.”
The US side included the Ambassador Romanowski and Congressman Seth Moulton who served four tours with the US military in Iraq from 2003 to 2008 and sits on the House Armed Services Committee.
Sudani’s statement added that the act against Sistani was "an affront to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.”
Today, Prime Minister @Mohamedshia met with the United States Congressman @RepMoulton, a member of the US House Armed Services Committee, and the US Ambassador to Iraq @USAmbIraq.
— المكتب الإعلامي لرئيس الوزراء 🇮🇶 (@IraqiPMO) October 10, 2024
During the meeting, Prime Minister Al-Sudani emphasized that the Zionist entity has escalated its… pic.twitter.com/GcsgBpmywq
Sudani also condemned the targeting of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon and Gaza, while again stressing the need for the international community to intervene in the conflict "to stop the war that threatens regional and global security."
On Sunday, the Iraqi premier called on world leaders to intensify their efforts to spare the Middle East from “destruction and devastation” which “could plunge the region and the world into prolonged conflicts.”
In a post on X, the US ambassador called Sistani "a renowned and respected religious leader in the international community."
Grand Ayatollah Sistani is a renowned and respected religious leader in the international community. He is a critical and influential voice in promoting a more peaceful region. We reject any suggestion of targeting Grand Ayatollah Sistani. The United States continues to support…
— Ambassador Alina L. Romanowski (@USAmbIraq) October 10, 2024
"We reject any suggestion of targeting Grand Ayatollah Sistani," the post added, noting the importance of Sistani's influence.
Moulton, the US congressman, has supported Israel’s right to defend itself, while also stressing the need for Israel to protect innocent civilians in Gaza. In a statement on Monday - a year since Hamas’ attack on Israel - Moulton said the “rights and security for both Israelis and Palestinians are interdependent, so we must pursue solutions to ensure both rights and security for all.”
Sistani - born in Iran’s Mashhad in 1930 - has held the position of Iraq’s most senior Shiite authority since the 1990s and is respected by Muslims around the world.
He has spoken out against Israel’s recent attacks on Lebanon, saying in a statement late last month that “every possible effort” should be made to stop “the ongoing barbaric aggression.”
Iraq has been a staunch supporter of Palestine for decades. The current Shiite-led cabinet has also sided with Lebanon in the fight with Israel. Baghdad has provided humanitarian aid, but Iraq’s pro-Iran militia groups have carried out dozens of drone and rocket attacks on Israel since Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel a year ago triggered the escalation in the decades-old Israel-Palestine conflict.
Sudani has served as prime minister since October 2022. On Sunday, the premier’s office in a post on X stressed his cabinet’s efforts “to shield Iraq from the consequences of this escalation,” noting his government’s collaboration with international partners.
Last month, the United States and Iraq announced an agreement to end the military mission of the global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq within a year. Iraq’s security forces and the coalition’s role will transition into bilateral security partnerships.
