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Al-Sistani representative urges tighter arms control in Iraq
Shafaq News – Karbala
On Thursday, a senior representative of Iraq's top Shiite authority warned that the country remains exposed to escalating regional conflict, urging the state to control arms and corruption.
During a ceremony marking the start of the month of Muharram on the Hijri calendar, and the symbolic changing of the Imam Hussein shrine's banner in Karbala*, Sheikh Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalai, representing Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, described the current regional landscape as a 'battle between justice and tyranny,' cautioning that Iraq cannot remain insulated from its consequences.
'These are not distant developments,' he emphasized. 'Iraqis must remain vigilant and help lay the foundation for a stable, well-governed state.'
The cleric urged national leaders to act with integrity and prioritize public welfare. 'Those in charge must fear God, protect the country's gains, and address challenges without retreating, despite setbacks and accumulated failures,' he asserted.
Sheikh al-Karbalai also called for correcting the country's political trajectory, curbing external interference, and enforcing a monopoly on arms through official state institutions.
*Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and holds deep religious significance for Muslims, particularly Shiites. Its 10th day, known as Ashura, commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein ibn Ali—the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad—who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
