Shafaq News/In a rare and influential statement, Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, Iraq’s foremostShia cleric, has outlined a seven-point roadmap for national renewal, callingon Iraqis to confront past mistakes and pave a future of security, integrity,and independence. His message, issued from Najaf following discussions with aUN representative, was seen as a powerful appeal for reform that has alreadysent ripples through Iraq’s political landscape.
Al-Sistani’sVision for a Stable and Prosperous Iraq
In astatement on November 4 after a meeting with the UN Envoy, Mohammed Al-Hassan,Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani outlined seven factors necessary for the"stability of the country," emphasizing that Iraqis have a "longpath" ahead to achieve this goal.
Ayatollahremarked that Iraqis, “especially the informed elites, must [1] learn from pastexperiences, [2] make every effort to overcome past failures, and [3] do theirbest to secure a better future for their country, one where everyone enjoyssecurity, stability, advancement, and prosperity, stressing that this cannot beachieved without [4] developing scientific and practical plans for governancebased on competence and integrity in assuming positions of responsibility,preventing all forms of foreign interference, [5] enforcing the rule of law,[6] confining arms to the authority of the state, and [7]combating corruptionat all levels."
"However,it appears that Iraqis have a long road ahead before reaching this goal. MayGod help them in this endeavor," he reckoned.
Regardingthe escalating regional situations, Ayatollah Al-Sistani expressed "deep sorrowfor the ongoing tragedy in Lebanon and Gaza and profound disappointment in theinternational community and its institutions for failing to implement effectivesolutions to stop it or at least to spare civilians from the brutal aggressioncarried out by the Israeli entity."
A Call toAddress Regional and National Instability
Dr. IhsanAl- Shammari, President of the Center for Political Thinking said that"the meeting between Ayatollah Al-Sistani and the UN Secretary-General’srepresentative, and his discussion about the humanitarian situation in Gaza andLebanon, as well as his warning to the Al-Sudani government about its inabilityto manage the country, the spread of weapons, and the chaos in stategovernance, indicate a deep concern that will impact the region. Therefore, heis sending messages in multiple directions."
Al-Shammaritold Shafaq News that these messages are directed toward the internationalcommunity stressing the importance of preserving stability and addressinghumanitarian concerns. “He also sent a message to the national elites, who havebeen marginalized by the Coordination Framework and Al-Sudani, urging them tocarefully consider the potential consequences.” Additionally, he underscoredthe urgency for national forces to work proactively to prevent the loomingregional crisis from negatively impacting Iraq.
AyatollahAl-Sistani: Political Influence and Spiritual Authority
Thepolitical analyst Abbas Ghadir stated, "It is well known that HisEminence, Sayyid Al-Sistani, has a significant influence on the Iraqi andregional situation in general. Every meeting held with al-Sistani affectsIraq's political and social landscape”, pointing out that Ayatollah AliAl-Sistani conveyed a series of messages and recommendations for both Iraq andbeyond.
"Al-Sistaniurged the political elites to learn from past experiences, use those lessons tobuild the state and work on limiting the spread of weapons. He also addressedthe ongoing events in the region, particularly the Zionist aggression againstthe Palestinian and Lebanese people," Ghadir continued.
He notedthat the issued statement had a significant effect on the political climate,leading the Coordination Framework to declare its adherence to Al-Sistani’sguidance and express a serious intention to follow through with his directives.
In themeantime, political analyst Ahmed Al-Yasiri suggested that the religiousauthority’s statement, coinciding with the new United Nations representative'sarrival, “underscores the UN mission’s acknowledgment of Al-Sistani’s vitalspiritual influence, which influences various facets of life in Iraq, includingthe political and social spheres.”
AyatollahAl-Sistani Stands Against Political Exploitation
On 13 June2014, Ayatollah Al-Sistani appealed that Iraqis should support the governmentagainst ISIS which had taken over Mosul and Tikrit and was threatening Baghdad.Later in June 2014, Al-Sistani revised his statement and issued a fatwa callingfor "citizens to defend the country, its people, the honor of itscitizens, and its sacred places," against ISIS.
Al-Yasiriadded in his interview with Shafaq News, "Sayyid Al-Sistani's statementreinforces the idea of spiritual centrality. The humanitarian positions andevents in the Middle East, addressed from this spiritual foundation, have beenexploited, particularly by armed groups, to connect Ayatollah’s stances to thefatwa of 2014, whereby they intended to militarize the spiritual path of thereligious authority."
"Iraqifactions have exploited the general sermons and spiritual centrality of thereligious authority, attempting to militarize its discourse and use it tosupport their security and political agendas. Therefore, in its statement, thereligious authority lifted its cover from anyone bearing arms who seeks tojustify their armament outside the framework of the state," He explained.
He indicatedthat the religious authority, through its statement, had distinguished itsethical and spiritual discourse from political manipulation, offering a broadvision for resolving issues in Iraq. This vision, he noted, “underscored thespiritual leadership's support for the centrality of the state and delivered acomprehensive message that could be described as a central declaration by thereligious authority. This declaration accentuated the importance of the Iraqistate's centrality, the spiritual centrality of the religious authority, andcentral international support.”
Consequently,Ahmed Al-Yasiri explained, Sayyid Al-Sistani's statement had highlightedinternational organizations for their failure to adequately address thehumanitarian crisis. The statement made it clear that the religious authority’shumanitarian initiatives, such as aiding displaced persons, were distinct frompolitical matters. Additionally, Ayatollah Al-Sistani rejected externalinterference and any attempts to align Iraq's national security with that ofother countries.
Al-Yasiriproceeded, "This is an implicit response to some reports suggesting thatthe religious authority is on a list of targets," mentioning that the UNrepresentative had reinforced this point in his remarks following the meeting,in what he condemned the inclusion of the religious authority in regionalpolitical or security conflicts and stressing that al-Sistani's role in Iraqwas strictly non-political.
Last month,Israeli channel 14 aired a segment featuring Ayatollah al-Sistani's image on alist of potential assassination targets. The image appeared alongside otherregional figures, including Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Hezbollah’sdeputy leader Naim Qassem, Hamas political chief Yahya Sinwar, Iranian QudsForce commander Ismail Qaani, and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah AliKhamenei.
A"target" mark was placed over each leader’s head, with no explanationbut hinting at the intention to eliminate these figures.
“AyatollahAl-Sistani has not received any Iraqi politician since 2015, and he stillinsists on his position, so Al-Sistani today returned Iraq to 2004 and theconstitutional revolution that he supported. He confirmed the failure of thepolitical experience in Iraq and did not refer to the failure of democracy, butthe political actors were not at the level of responsibility, and this is whatthe reference referred to on previous occasions as well, but today was aconfirmation of this meaning,” Al- Yasiri clarified.