AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Ayatollah Sayyid Yassin al-Mousawi, the Friday Prayer Leader of Baghdad, in his Friday sermon, elaborated on the messages of the million-strong funeral of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution by the Iraqi nation and emphasized the necessity for officials to pay attention to these messages.
Referring to the need for officials to heed the messages embedded in the million-strong funeral of the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution by the Iraqi nation, Ayatollah al-Mousawi emphasized that the million-strong funeral of the martyred Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei was not merely a mourning ritual, but carried clear political messages for the Iraqi government, the most important of which is the Iraqi nation's opposition to dependence on foreigners and its adherence to leaders who have sacrificed for their ideals and their nation.
He added, "It is the nations that, by preserving their dignity, independence, and honor, grant legitimacy to officials."
Ayatollah al-Mousawi, warning against continued reliance on the United States and entrusting the role of determining Iraq's decision-making path to its envoys, stated, "The legitimacy of officials originates from serving the people, safeguarding national sovereignty, and remaining loyal to the blood of martyrs, not from the satisfaction of foreign powers."
In another part of his sermon, the Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader criticized the performance of some Iraqi officials in foreign meetings and considered defending Iraq's dignity, national honor, and the blood of its martyrs a national duty.
Referring to the meeting of the late Sayyid Abdul Aziz al-Hakim with George Bush, the former U.S. President, Ayatollah al-Mousawi stated, "Officials must safeguard Iraq's position and dignity in international negotiations and meetings, and weakness in political positions should not be portrayed as diplomatic success, because the continuation of this process will have widespread negative consequences for the country."
He also referred to the statements of Donald Trump, the U.S. President, in a meeting with the Iraqi delegation, and criticizing what he described as "boasting about the assassination of Iraqi commanders and demanding gratitude from Iraqi officials," he stated, "It is regrettable that a response befitting the dignity of the Iraqi nation and the blood of its martyrs was not given to these statements."
The Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader further rejected reliance on Washington to solve Iraq's problems and criticized the meetings with Tom Barrack, the U.S. envoy. He emphasized that Iraq should not make American officials the reference for decision-making on its internal affairs.
Ayatollah al-Mousawi emphasized that the current situation in Iraq and the Islamic world requires scholars and thinkers not to remain silent on fateful issues and to fulfill their religious and social responsibilities.
In another part of his sermon, referring to the anti-corruption file, he considered the pursuit of corrupt individuals and the recovery of public funds as a national duty of the judicial, executive, and legislative bodies, and warned that the fight against corruption should not become a tool for deceiving public opinion or covering up the files of the main corrupt elements.
Ayatollah al-Mousawi also criticized some proposals about closing the case of certain defendants in exchange for returning part of their assets, and said that such actions not only do not achieve justice but also constitute a form of money laundering and pave the way for the return of defendants to centers of power.
Stating that Iraq is facing not only an economic crisis but also a structural crisis in political, managerial, and economic spheres, he stated that the country, as a result of unsystematic transition from a state-owned economy to a capitalist economy, is facing a kind of economic disorder.
The Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader added that running a country cannot be based solely on the success of some economic activists in the private sector, because the management of a country is based on institutions, macro policies, and governance structures, not just individual experiences.
He considered true reform to require a combination of efficiency and integrity, and emphasized that the financial integrity of officials cannot be proven by claims alone, but the origin of their assets and financial records must be carefully examined.
Ayatollah al-Mousawi, stating that Iraq still suffers from the lack of an institutionalized and stable political system, said that the management of the country should not be based on political quotas or personal relationships, but should be based on expertise, political experience, and managerial capability. He added that reforming institutions, including the military institution, is only possible through professional reforms and entrusting responsibilities to specialized individuals.
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