US Ambassador rejects targeting of Ayatollah Al-Sistani, stresses support for regional peace

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, US Ambassador to Baghdad Alina Romanowski expressed her rejection of any targeting of Iraq’s top religious authority, Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani.

Romanowski wrote on X, "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,” she added, noting that "the United States continues to support efforts to promote peace in the region."

This rejection follows a meeting earlier in the day between Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Romanowski, and US Congressman Seth Moulton, where the PM stated, “The Zionist media has attacked the revered Ayatollah Al-Sistani,” affirming that this represents “an offense to the feelings of Muslims worldwide.”

On Tuesday, the Israeli right-wing Channel 14 published a photo of Al-Sistani, as part of a list of potential assassination targets.

Al-Sistani's photo appeared alongside regional leaders such as Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem, Hamas's political bureau chief Yahya Sinwar, Iran's Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In the context of theIsraeli correspondent's discussion about Israel's potential response to the recent Iranian missile attack, a “target” label was placed on their heads without explaining the reasons for including Al-Sistani, which sparked angry reactions in Iraq.

In turn, the Iraqi government and presidency strongly condemned the insult to Al-Sistani by Israeli media on Wednesday, urging the international community to denounce attempts to undermine globally respected figures.

These developments come amid a wave of assassinations by Israel, with the most prominent being the killing of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike that targeted Beirut's southern suburbs.