Ayatollah Bashir al-Najafi:

Iran, Iraq relations based on historical and religious ties

Rasa – One of the most prominent sources of emulation in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf has stated that Iran-Iraq relations are based on profound religious and historical ties.

News ID: 2545

Date: 19 May 2015 - 18:10

RNA – Grand Ayatollah Bashir al-Najafi, a revered Najaf-based Pakistani source of emulation, has met with Abdorrahim Sadatifar, the Iranian consul general in this holy city, where they discussed the historical and religious ties between Iran and Iraq.

The renowned scholar said neighbourliness and cooperation in various economic, political and trade ties between the two countries is an important factor in the two countries’ growing ties.

Ayatollah al-Najafi added that pilgrimages to the holy shrines of both countries is another important factor.

Since the fall of Saddam’s regime in 2003, millions of Iranians have been able to visit the Shi’ite holy shrines in Najaf, Kufah, Karbala, Kadhimiyah and Samarra for the first time in many decades and also Iraqis have been able to visit the holy shrines in Qom and Mashhad, and numbers have grown rapidly in recent years.

His Eminence also met with a group of French Muslims at his Najaf office, where he stressed the need for constant contact with the Islamic Seminary of Najaf, stating that since the enemies seek to distort the image of Islam in the world, Muslims have a duty to introduce the real Islam to them.

“Throughout history, the followers of Ahlul-Bayt have been the victims of various tribulations, such as murder and faced displacement, because they follow original Islam,” Ayatollah al-Najafi explained to the French pilgrims.

The source of emulation emphasized that since the era of Imam Ali’s government until now, Shi’ites have been faced with brutal attacks. In the present era, they are still the targets of terrorist attacks from Takfiri militants who have issued fatwa’s calling Shi’ites “infidels.”

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