Shariatmadari apologizes to Al-Sistani
Shafaq News / Hussein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of the Iranian Kayhan newspaper, apologized to the supreme religious authority in Iraq, Ali al-Sistani, after he criticized Al-Sistani's call for UN supervision over the Iraqi elections to be held on June 6.
Shariatmadari, an advisor to the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, said that his article, which was published last Saturday, stems from his "concern" about a part of the statement of Ayatollah Sistani's office about the UN supervision of the parliamentary elections in Iraq.
He explained that his published article was based on the Persian text of the statement of Ayatollah Sistani's office about the Marjaiya meeting with the United Nations representative in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
"My interpretation from the text of the statement was that Ayatollah Al-Sistani asked the United Nations to monitor and directly supervise the upcoming Iraqi elections", he said, "Fortunately, Al-Sistani's office published an explanation in this regard, after the article was published in the Kayhan newspaper, and it became clear that my interpretation is far from reality".
Shariatmadari stated, "Ayatollah Al-Sistani had asked the representative of the United Nations in Iraq to observe transparency in all stages of the elections and monitor the elections seriously and in coordination with the relevant authorities in the United Nations".
He added that the statement of Ayatollah Al-Sistani’s office does not talk about the United Nations’s supervision of the elections. Rather, it talks about coordinating monitoring in accordance with United Nations procedures. This means that the supervision is carried out by Iraqis only, but the characteristics of observers and the procedures applied in conducting the elections must comply with the procedures and rules of the United Nations.
He stressed, "On this basis, my interpretation does not correspond to the statements of Ayatollah Al-Sistani, and I apologize to his eminence and hope that he accepts my apology".
Referring to statements by some Iraqi officials, including the Iraqi president, the prime minister, the head of the Iraqi judiciary and the speaker of parliament, Nuri al-Maliki and Haidar al-Abadi, in response to his article in "Kayhan" newspaper and in support of the reference in Iraq, Shariatmadari said that I accept the protests of these leaders and officials, adding that if this does not indicate anything, but rather indicates the unity and solidarity of Iraq in support of the supreme authority, which is a matter worthy of praise and appreciation.
