US slams ‘suggestion of targeting’ Muslim scholar al-Sistani by Israeli TV

Washington’s envoy to Baghdad denounces Israeli broadcast that portrays Shia leader as a target for assassination.

The United States ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski, has denounced featuring Shia spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on an apparent hit list by Israel’s Channel 14, praising the Muslim scholar for “promoting a more peaceful region”.

Washington expressed solidarity with al-Sistani on Thursday amid growing outrage in the Middle East, especially by Shia groups, over the Israeli broadcast.

“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,” Romanowski said in a social media post without explicitly mentioning the Israeli broadcast.

“We reject any suggestion of targeting Grand Ayatollah Sistani. The United States continues to support efforts to promote peace in the region,” she added.

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

Channel 14 had shown al-Sistani’s picture with red crosshairs over his head this week alongside photos of Israel’s top 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 Shia Muslims.

Pope Francis, right, meets with Iraq’s Shia leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in Najaf, Iraq, on March 6, 2021 [Vatican Media via AP]

Rarely seen in public

He is based in Najaf, south of Baghdad, but he avoids public appearances. One of his last known photos is from a meeting with Pope Francis in 2021.

However, he often releases statements that serve as broad political guidance for his followers on major events.

For example, in 2014, he issued a religious decree, urging Iraqis to mobilise and defend their country from ISIL (ISIS).

The call to arms helped form volunteer paramilitary groups – some linked to Iran – that contributed significantly to the fight against the hardline group.

Iran-backed groups are now operating in a coalition called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has been launching drone attacks against Israel in a push that they say aims to support Palestinians in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

After the Israeli military launched its bombing campaign against Lebanon late in September, al-Sistani’s office condemned what it called Israel’s “brutal aggression” and “savage methods”.

It also urged “every possible effort to stop this ongoing barbaric aggression and protect the Lebanese people from its devastating effects”.

On Wednesday, the Iraqi government criticised the Israeli channel’s broadcast on al-Sistani, describing it as a “heinous violation” and warning that it could “enlarge the circle of danger and violence” in the region.

“We call on the international community to effectively move and show an urgent stance against any call for hatred between peoples,” the Iraqi presidency said in a statement. “We also reassert Iraq’s efforts to end the aggression against Palestine and Lebanon.”