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Washington’s special envoy to Baghdad condemned an Israeli broadcast depicting Shiite leaders as targets for assassination.
Alina Romanovsky, the US ambassador to Iraq, condemned Israel’s Channel 14 for featuring Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on an apparent hit list, criticizing the Islamic scholar’s “More Peaceful” He praised the project, saying, “It has promoted a vibrant region.”
Washington expressed solidarity with al-Sistani on Thursday amid growing anger in the Middle East, particularly Shiites, over the Israeli broadcast.
“Graduate Sistani is a well-known and respected religious leader in the international community. He is a critical and influential voice in promoting a more peaceful region,” Romanovsky said in a statement on social media. In the post, he mentioned Israeli broadcasting without explicitly mentioning it.
“We reject any proposal to target al-Sistani. The United States continues to support efforts to promote peace in the region,” it added.
Grand Ayatollah Sistani is a well-known and respected religious leader in the international community. He is a critical and influential voice in promoting a more peaceful region. We reject any proposals targeting Grand Ayatollah Sistani. The United States continues to provide support…
— Ambassador Alina L. Romanovsky (@USAmbIraq) October 10, 2024
Channel 14 this week aired a photo of al-Sistani with a red cross above his head, alongside photos of Israel’s biggest adversaries, including Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. .
Al-Sistani, a 94-year-old Iranian-born Iraqi scholar, is considered one of the highest spiritual authorities by Shiite Muslims.
Pope Francis (right) meets with Iraqi Shiite leader Grand Master Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, Iraq, March 6, 2021 (Vatican Media via AP)
rarely seen in public
He is based in Najaf, south of Baghdad, but avoids public appearances. His last known photo was taken in 2021 when he met Pope Francis.
However, he often issues statements on major events that serve as broad political guidance to his supporters.
For example, in 2014 he issued a religious decree urging Iraqis to mobilize and defend the country from ISIL (ISIS).
The declaration of war helped form volunteer militias with ties to Iran, which greatly contributed to the fight against the hardliners.
Iranian-backed groups currently operating in Iraq in a coalition called the Islamic Resistance have launched drone attacks against Israel, saying they aim to support Palestinians in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. I am doing it.
After the Israeli military launched a bombing campaign against Lebanon in late September, al-Sistani’s office condemned Israel’s “brutal aggression” and “barbaric methods.”
It also called for “all efforts to be made to stop the ongoing barbaric invasion and protect the Lebanese people from its devastating effects.”
On Wednesday, the Iraqi government criticized Israeli channels’ broadcasts about al-Sistani, describing them as “heinous violations” and warning that they could “expand the circle of danger and violence” in the region.
“We call on the international community to act effectively and show urgency against any calls for hatred between our peoples,” Iraq’s presidential office said in a statement. “We also reaffirm Iraq’s efforts to end aggression against Palestine and Lebanon.”
