Shafaq News/ The head of the UN Assistance mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, on Wednesday met with Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in the southern city of Najaf.

Al-Sistani, 92, is considered the most important clerical authority for millions of Iraqi Shiites, as well as millions of others across the Shiite world. He lives in Najaf, which is home to the Hawza Najaf, the oldest Shiite seminary in the world.

In statements to reporters after the meeting, Plasschaert commended al-Sistani's support for "peaceful coexistence" in Iraq, expressing gratitude for receiving her today.

The UN High-Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said he conveyed the greetings of the UN secretary-general ans Pope Francis to Ayatollah al-Sistani.

Moratinos reiterated in his statements to reporters after the meeting the UN upholds "national reconciliation" and "protecting civilizations" in Iraq.

The cleric rarely meets with foreign officials, although famously met Pope Francis during his visit to Iraq in spring 2021, when he also visited the war-damaged city of Mosul. He seldom comments on political events in Iraq, leading a quietist clergy that follows a policy of refraining from siding with any political party.

But he is widely considered a political moderate and has made statements in the past that some analysts have interpreted as being against established political parties in Iraq, indirectly criticising them for corruption and mismanagement. He has also spoken out against violence against civilians, be it at the hands of foreign forces, Iraqi security forces or terrorist groups.