Shafaq News / The Chaldean Patriarchate in Iraq and the world denied that it has the authority to sell or invest real estate and properties of the Christian Endowment, stressing that such things require the approval of the Vatican and the Iraqi government.

The Patriarchate's Media Office said in a statement, "The called Mahdi Naji Mahdi filed a complaint with the Al-Karkh investigation judge on April 14, 2020, regarding a land in Basra that he wanted to invest."

The statement added, "more than five years ago, Mahdi Naji Mahdi claimed that there is a land belonging to the Church in Basra, after reviewing the Real Estate Registration Department, and said he wanted to invest it."

"The complainant came to the financial department of the Patriarchate's headquarters to submit an investment application for this land, and he was granted a special authorization so that he can get a copy of the real estate registry for the land", the statement added.

It pointed out, "It has been established upon review that this land is registered in the name of a Saudi person and does not belong to the Church. He was told that the authorization had expired. He requested that he be granted another land from the church’s property to invest it, and was told that the Church has no land for investment. His complaint is a pure lie, and clear blackmailing and defamation of the Cardinal and the Chaldean Church."

The Patriarchate said that the complaint, "appears to be incited by a political party", adding, "three days ago, an honorable judge called the Patriarch to inform him that a fifty-dunam church property file is being forged and that he will work to recover it."

"The Patriarchate will file a lawsuit against Mahdi and al-Sumaria TV for promoting lies and defame the Church", the statement noted.