Hawzah News Agency- Ayatollah Seyyed Yasin Mousavi, the Friday prayer leader of Baghdad and a prominent professor at the Najaf seminary, made the remarks on Friday, as he addressed fast-moving political and military developments across the region.
'New Middle East' Is a Redrawing Project
Ayatollah Mousavi said Iraq and other regional countries cannot remain indifferent to these developments, warning that all nations — whether directly involved or neutral — will be affected by the consequences.
He described "Middle East" as a Western, American label for the region, and said repeated talk of a "new Middle East" signals a plan to re-dividing the region and redraw its political and geographic map — a process, he said, that began with colonial partition after World War I and continued as influence shifted from Britain and France to the United States.
The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, he said, sparked Islamic awakening across the region among both Shias and Sunnis and strengthened the role of nations in confronting colonial projects. In response, he added, the US-Israeli project seeks to return the region to an era when foreign-aligned governments dominate decision-making and the will of the people is sidelined.
Targeting Shias and Religious Authorities
Mousavi linked the targeting of Shias and religious authorities to the fact that the Marja’iyyah, or religious authority, is a foundational pillar of Shia social structure. He said colonial powers know these communities will not accept foreign domination.
Referring to threats against some Iraqi religious authorities and scholars, he said the killings and destruction in Gaza, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon are aimed at terrorizing nations into accepting American and Israeli dictates.
Resistance Still Standing
On the Axis of Resistance, Ayatollah Mousavi said confrontation continues in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran, and that targeting resistance leaders — including Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah — has failed to end the movement. Developments on the ground, he said, show the resistance retains its ability to confront and fight.
He also dismissed some Israeli claims of military victory as media attempts to cover up losses.
Iran's Deterrence and the Nuclear File
Turning to recent developments in Iran, Mousavi said recent military events showed the Islamic Republic still possesses deterrence capability. He criticized Western countries for returning to Iran's nuclear file and trying to bring it back before the UN Security Council, calling it a "helpless trick."
Warning Over Iraq's Political and Military Battle
On Iraq, Ayatollah Mousavi warned the country faces both a political and military battle — militarily aimed at weakening the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) and dismantling Iraq's sources of strength, and politically aimed at forcing Baghdad to follow American decisions.
He called for the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and the formation of an independent Iraqi military capable of defending the country and its sovereignty without relying on foreign forces.
In closing, Mousavi stressed the need to respect the will of the Iraqi people and preserve national decision-making independence, warning officials against ignoring their own people's voices.
"The day will come when the people will hold officials accountable for their political choices and decisions," he said.
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