AhlulBayt News Agency: A senior Iraqi cleric has strongly criticized US President Donald Trump, saying he should be prosecuted in international courts rather than being considered for the Nobel Peace Prize.
During Friday prayers at Fatima Husseiniyah in Najaf, Hojatoleslam Seyyed Sadr al-Din Qabbanchi dismissed Trump’s claim that the Iraqi government had nominated him for the prestigious award, calling the assertion “one of the strangest” he had ever heard.
Qabanchi said Trump bears responsibility for the deaths of more than 60,000 Palestinians and is a principal supporter of the Israeli regime’s military aggression against Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. “A man with such a record deserves international trial, not applause,” he stressed.
The cleric also condemned the publication of a government decision in the official newspaper Al-Waqa’ al-Iraqiyya listing Lebanese Hezbollah and Yemen’s Ansarullah as entities whose assets should be frozen as “terrorist collaborators.”
He said classifying resistance movements as terrorists was “strange and unacceptable,” adding: “How can friends become enemies and enemies become friends?”
Although the Iraqi government later described the publication as a mistake, Qabanchi insisted the error was “unforgivable” and demanded an investigation to identify and punish those responsible.
Addressing political developments, the Friday prayer leader said the Iraqi people are waiting for the “Coordination Framework” and allied Shia parties to finalize the selection of a new prime minister.
“The nation has entrusted you with responsibility—now deliver results,” he told newly elected lawmakers.
Qabanchi also commented on recent clashes in the Kurdistan region, describing them as a “fierce and devastating war” that has destroyed villages. While refraining from assigning blame, he emphasized that Kurdistan region is an integral part of Iraq and urged the central government to restore peace and security in the region.
He praised the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) for helping repair Baghdad’s Al-Rashad Psychiatric Hospital, which had been at risk of collapse.
In the religious segment of the sermon, Qabanchi spoke on the theme “Be Beautiful,” highlighting the Islamic emphasis on inner and outer beauty.
Quoting Imam Ali (PBUH), he said believers should present themselves with dignity before others and adorn their character just as they adorn their appearance.
Beauty, he noted, manifests in speech, behavior, worship, and even one’s manner of walking. He cited the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who said he was sent “to perfect noble morals,” as well as passages from Imam Sajjad’s Makarem al-Akhlaq stressing kindness, forgiveness, and humility.
Marking the anniversary of the passing of Hazrat Umm al-Banin (PBUH), the cleric praised her sacrifices and her role in preserving the legacy of Imam Hussain (PBUH).
He noted that she performed “jihad of sacrifice” by giving her four sons in the cause of Karbala and “jihad of remembrance” by holding continuous mourning gatherings to keep the message of Ashura alive.
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