AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Ayatollah Sayed Yasin Mousavi, the Friday prayer leader of Baghdad and a professor at the Najaf seminary, emphasized that the political consequences of the war against the Islamic Republic of Iran have weakened US President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, and recent developments have exposed the failure of America and the Zionist regime's calculations in achieving their intended goals.
Ayatollah Mousavi, in his political sermon, explained that Trump and the Republican Party's defeat in the US elections, although a matter related to this country's internal affairs, its timing and its connection to the war against Iran give this event special importance from the perspective of the region and Iraq.
Referring to the remarks of some American officials who have established a link between the war and the reduction of the Republicans' electoral chances, he stated, "These results confirm the correctness of previous warnings about the negative consequences of confronting Iran for Trump and the Republican Party."
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad added, "Recent developments showed that Iran's leadership assessed the political scene more realistically than the parties that had bet on weakening Iran and were asking Iraq to reduce its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to stay away from the consequences of the confrontation."
He emphasized, "Developments must be evaluated based on their political and strategic results, not on the predictions and expectations that were raised at the beginning of the war."
The failure of the war's goals and the decline of the "Greater Israel" plan
Ayatollah Mousavi, referring to the declared goals of Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran's system, stated, "This goal was not achieved, and the Islamic Republic of Iran was able to preserve its political system and its power to confront; while the US administration suffered significant political losses."
He linked these results to the weakening of the equations on which Netanyahu relied to promote the so-called "Greater Israel" plan and noted, "Internal developments in the Zionist regime and the need for new parliamentary coalitions to form a cabinet indicate a change in the balance of power."
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad added, "These developments do not mean the end of conflicts, but they show that the Zionist regime's domination is not a fixed matter immune from challenges."
He also referred to the economic and strategic dimensions of this confrontation, especially the impact of developments related to the Strait of Hormuz on the global economy, and said, "Iran used its levers of power in a way that forced international parties to reassess this country's position and capabilities."
Ayatollah Mousavi at the same time warned against the notion that Trump's electoral retreat would automatically lead to the resolution of differences with Iran and emphasized, "America's policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran does not depend solely on the person of this country's president."
Citing the statement of Grand Ayatollah Sayed Mojtaba Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on the occasion of Student Day, he emphasized the necessity of readiness for the possibility of the resumption of the confrontation and said, "The US electoral developments should not be considered a guarantee for the end of conflicts."
Opposition to efforts to separate Iraq from Iran
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad, in another part of his remarks, criticized the positions that call for Iraq's separation from Iran, especially the views raised about closing border crossings or restricting flights.
Referring to the fact that some officials have described popular opposition to these measures as an emotional position, he emphasized, "Iraq-Iran relations are based on historical, social, and religious bonds, and managing national interests does not mean submitting to American pressures or ignoring the will of the people."
Ayatollah Mousavi noted, "Some Iraqi political currents have adopted an approach according to which they accept America's demands and at the same time try to maintain relations with Iran within a framework that does not cause Washington's dissatisfaction."
In this regard, he raised the question of how realistic such a policy can be considered, given recent developments and the exposure of the costs of betting on weakening the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad also criticized the limitations of Iraq's military capabilities and the obstacles that, according to him, restrict the freedom to use some of this country's defense facilities, and said, "Having weapons, as long as military decision-making depends on the approval of foreign powers, does not mean having real sovereignty."
He called for strengthening the independence of national decision-making and creating capabilities that enable Iraq to defend its interests without dependence on the will of international powers.
Criticism of Iraq's foreign policy
Ayatollah Mousavi, continuing, criticized the Iraqi prime minister's trips to a number of regional countries and stated, "Some of these trips and the agreements accompanying them are not consistent with Iraq's interests and do not take into account these countries' past records and positions toward Iraq."
Referring to the Iraqi prime minister's trip to Syria and his meeting with the new leaders of this country, he criticized closeness to a figure who has been associated with cases of terrorism and bloodshed in Iraq.
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad also raised questions about the effectiveness of commitments related to the reconstruction of religious sites and said, "Such commitments, if not accompanied by a clear review of the political and economic interests arising from new relations, cannot alone justify these relations."
He warned about oil and economic agreements that may impose obligations on Iraq without ensuring balanced interests and called for a careful examination of the details of these agreements and their consequences for the national economy.
Ayatollah Mousavi also criticized the Iraqi prime minister's trip to Saudi Arabia and, referring to the difference in the level of official reception for him compared to the reception of the new leaders of Syria, said, "These matters show the necessity of reviewing the nature of regional relations."
He emphasized, "Iraq's foreign relations must be regulated based on mutual respect and common interests, not on diplomatic pleasantries or the granting of unilateral concessions."
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad, continuing, raised the question of what achievements Iraq gains from its relations with Jordan and Bahrain; this comes as Iraqi citizens still face difficulties in traveling, and pressures on Shia citizens in Bahrain continue.
Criticizing what he called detentions and violations of the rights of religious figures in Bahrain, he emphasized, "Establishing foreign relations should not come at the cost of ignoring religious principles and human dignity."
Ayatollah Mousavi noted, "The criterion for the success of foreign policy should be the extent of its role in protecting Iraq's sovereignty and the interests of this country's people, not merely gaining the satisfaction of regional and international powers."
Prediction of a change in regional equations
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad, at the end of his political sermon, predicted that the region will witness new developments in the balance of power in the next stage and emphasized, "The pressures that the resistance forces face do not mean the end of their role."
Referring to Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Ansarullah, he predicted that these forces will regain part of their former power and position in the next stage, and therefore, field developments must be followed carefully and away from settling for common media narratives.
Ayatollah Mousavi warned the political currents that have bet on the continuation of the current equations that future developments may force them to reconsider their positions.
He emphasized, "The upcoming stage requires a realistic assessment of developments and avoiding the formulation of policies based on the assumption that the balance of power in the region will always remain fixed."
The Friday prayer leader of Baghdad, in conclusion, emphasized the necessity of reviewing Iraq's policy toward regional developments, protecting the independence of national decision-making, preserving historical and religious relations, and opposing pressures that conflict with the interests of the Iraqi nation.
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