Ali Sistani Wishes Success to Iran’s New Supreme Leader
In a statement, Sistani said that as the late Iranian leader Ali Khamenei is commemorated, his successor should be guided in serving the Iranian people and safeguarding the country’s unity.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq’s most senior Shiite cleric, said on Wednesday that he hopes Iran’s new supreme leader will succeed in preserving national unity following the death of his predecessor.
In a statement, Sistani said that as the late Iranian leader Ali Khamenei is commemorated, his successor should be guided in serving the Iranian people and safeguarding the country’s unity.
“As we commemorate the late leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, we hope that his honorable successor will find success and guidance in serving the great Iranian people, repelling absolute evil and preserving national unity and harmony,” Sistani said.
Iran on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, as the country’s new supreme leader after his father was killed in an air strike at the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic on Feb. 28.
Officials say Mojtaba Khamenei has not yet appeared publicly after reportedly being wounded in the same strike that killed his father and his wife.
Last week, Sistani — who was born in Iran but has spent most of his life in Iraq — condemned what he described as an “unjust war” against the Islamic Republic.
Based in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf for decades, Sistani has been one of the most influential figures in Iraq’s modern history, guiding his followers through periods of dictatorship, foreign occupation, and conflict.
Despite his Iranian origins, Sistani has often maintained a complex relationship with Tehran and is known for resisting Iran’s growing political influence in Iraq. Unlike Iran’s system of clerical rule, he has consistently avoided taking a formal role in government while maintaining significant religious authority among millions of followers across the Muslim world.