Ayatollah al-Modarresi Warns Against Responding to Enemy Dictates and Restricting the Movement of Pilgrims

His Eminence the Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Taqi al-Modarresi expressed his appreciation for the close cooperation and fraternal solidarity that have characterized relations between the Iraqi and Iranian peoples over the past two decades.

He noted that this solidarity became particularly evident during critical hours and difficult circumstances, reaching, at many points, a level of cooperation comparable to that between the people of a single nation.

During his weekly ethical lecture at his office in the holy city of Karbala, His Eminence criticized certain decisions and practices adopted by the Iraqi government that, in his view, diverge from popular and religious-authority orientations.

Among these, he cited restrictions on the movement of pilgrims visiting Imam Hussain and other holy shrines in Iraq, as well as the closure of airspace or entry routes to those coming to Iraq for pilgrimage, in response to sanctions imposed on a neighbouring country and Muslim population.

His Eminence pointed out that those entering Iraq through Iran are not all Iranian nationals.

They include pilgrims from various nationalities and countries, united by a single religious purpose: visiting the holy shrines and performing an act of religious devotion.

Ayatollah al-Modarresi stressed that the treatment of these pilgrims' movement should be based on the religious nature of their journey rather than on political disputes and positions between states.

Sayyed al-Modarresi explained that the matter is comparable to Muslims travelling to perform the Hajj.

Even during periods of political conflict and disputes between states and governments, it would not have been acceptable for such disputes to become a means of preventing pilgrims from reaching the Sacred House of God, or of obstructing the passage of aircraft, buses, and other means of transportation carrying them to perform the Hajj rites.

His Eminence stressed that bringing religious rites and the movement of pilgrims into political conflicts, and preventing or restricting people from reaching holy sites, should not become a tool of pressure between states.

He argued that such measures affect people's right to practise their religious rites and may, in practice, develop into a confrontation with religion and its rites.

He added that, rather than restricting the movement of pilgrims, the Iraqi authorities should work to facilitate their entry through the various air and land crossings, and develop airports, roads, border crossings, and infrastructure in a manner commensurate with the tens of millions of visitors and travellers who come to Iraq and its holy shrines each year.

Sayyed al-Modarresi further stated that the enemies of the Muslim nation are constantly seeking ways to create division among the peoples of the region and to sever the ties of communication, cooperation, and mutual support between them.

He warned against responding to pressures and dictates that serve this direction, arguing that doing so would provide opportunities for domination over Muslim countries and for weakening their peoples.

His Eminence concluded by emphasizing the need to preserve bonds of brotherhood among Muslim peoples and not to allow temporary political disputes and interests to sever channels of communication between them or prevent believers from performing their religious rites and visiting their holy sites.