Najaf cleric urges Iraqi youth to prepare for US–Iran ground war
Shafaq News- Najaf
Young Iraqis should be “prepared” to respond if the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran turns into a ground confrontation, senior leader in the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Sadr al-Din al-Qubbanji, said on Friday.
“Here, I call on faithful youth to be prepared to answer the call and ready to support Islam and Shiism (the branch of Islam followed by the majority in Iraq),” Al-Qubbanji, who is also Najaf’s imam, noted during a religious sermon.
Read more: Iraqi Armed factions' cross-border attacks draw legal warnings and Arab pressure
According to a Washington Post report, the US military has drafted a “high-risk plan” to seize Iran’s uranium stockpile following a directive from President Donald Trump, potentially involving the deployment of hundreds —if not thousands— of troops inside Iranian territory in a “complex” ground operation.
In Iran, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf affirmed that seven million citizens have volunteered to take up arms, signaling readiness for a potential confrontation with US forces, while Iran’s Army Commander, Major General Amir Hatami, warned that Tehran would target US allies across the Middle East if Washington proceeds with a ground military operation.
