AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Ayatollah Sayed Yassin al-Moussawi, the Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader and prominent professor at the Najaf Seminary, in his political sermon on Friday, September 18, 2026, referring to regional and global developments, said, "Religious and national duty requires that a person state the truth and stand against oppression."
Referring to what he called competition and confrontation among different axes in the region, he added, "One of these axes is America and its allies, and the other axis is the resistance axis, which supports the oppressed nations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, and other areas."
The Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader, criticizing the performance of various Iraqi governments, especially the current government, stated, "The Iraqi government has distanced itself from the position of neutrality and leaned toward the American axis, and some official positions and statements are not compatible with defending the interests of the Iraqi people and sovereignty."
Ayatollah al-Moussawi expressed doubt about America's ability to create stability in the region and said, "America's wars and interventions in the region and the world show that real stability passes through the path of peace and the preservation of nations' rights, not through military bases and political domination."
Criticizing the reliance of some Persian Gulf states on American military bases, he added, "These bases have not provided the expected security for these countries and, at the same time, have contributed to the continuation of regional tensions."
The Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader went on to refer to the Yemen war and America's role in supporting Saudi Arabia's policies and warned about the consequences of America's military presence and interventions in the region.
Ayatollah al-Moussawi warned about accusations against the resistance in Iraq and said, "One cannot accuse resistance groups without providing evidence and documentation."
The prominent professor at the Najaf Ashraf Seminary, in reaction to government statements about the firing of missiles from Iraqi soil toward Saudi Arabia, also called for a careful investigation and examination of this issue before issuing statements and making hasty decisions.
The Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader also criticized the closure of Iraq's borders with Iran and said, "This decision has created many problems for Iraqi pilgrims, especially women, children, and the elderly."
In another part of his remarks, he emphasized the necessity of protecting Iraq's interests in the fields of oil, gas, and electricity and said, "Iranian gas plays a role in supplying Iraq's energy, and cutting economic cooperation can harm low-income and needy groups."
Ayatollah al-Moussawi also, referring to the economic consequences of closing the borders, said, "This action leads to an increase in the prices of goods and harm to merchants and citizens."
The Baghdad Friday Prayer Leader concluded by calling on the Iraqi government and the Coordination Framework coalition to fulfill their responsibility toward the people's rights and to avoid unjust decisions and attempts to impose military control.
He emphasized, "Creating a just government requires proper management, respect for citizens' rights, and preferring national interests over foreign dependency."
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