Shafaq News/ The prominent Iraqi armed faction Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, a part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), stated on Tuesday that the recent call from Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, to restrict arms to state control does not apply to resistance groups.
Kata'ib leader Abbas al-Zaidi told Shafaq News, "The statement of the Marja'iya [Al-Sistani] came in the context of its care for the political process and its concern for Iraq, justice, and peace in the region and the world.” pointing out, “Since the launch of the political process in Iraq, and without the Marja'iya, there would have been no political process, no elections, and no voting on the constitution.”
“The Marja'iya laid the foundations for all these matters, and millions of citizens responded to its call after the insistence of the American occupation on guardianship over Iraq."
Al-Zaidi affirmed, "Resistance is legitimate according to divine and man-made laws, and there are texts in the United Nations that permit resistance in any occupied country. The Marja'iya did not and will not intend to the resistance factions in its call for limiting arms to the state. The legitimacy of these factions comes from the Marja'iya, and our first operations against the occupation were based on a religious fatwa, with the Marja'iya allowing us to resist the occupation."
He further declared, "The occupation, whether American or Israeli, understands only the logic of force, and thus jihad is obligatory and a personal duty, not a collective one, for every Muslim and every citizen. Following the principle of unity of fronts, we continue to provide support and assistance to Gaza and Lebanon."
On Monday, Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani outlined seven factors for "the country's stability," affirming that Iraqis face "a long path" to achieve this.
In a statement issued from his office in Najaf after a meeting with Mohammad al-Hassan, the representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Al-Sistani stressed, "Iraqis, especially the aware elites, should take lessons from their past experiences, strive to overcome their failures, and work diligently towards a better future for their country, where everyone enjoys security, stability, progress, and prosperity."
"This cannot be achieved without scientific and practical plans for managing the country based on competence and integrity in taking on responsibilities, preventing foreign interventions in all forms, enforcing the rule of law, restricting arms to the state, and combating corruption at all levels."
Notably, Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani is a highly influential figure in Iraq and the Shia community worldwide.
Al-Sistani's importance lies in his role as a stabilizing force in Iraq's political landscape. He has consistently called for national unity and adherence to democratic principles.
Despite his preference for a quietist approach, and avoiding formal political roles, al-Sistani's moral authority and guidance have been crucial in times of crisis. His support has been sought by every Iraqi administration since 2003.