Sheikh Qais al-Khazali: We reject seeing Iran besieged while Iraq stands by

Baghdad - Al-Wasat Iraqi newspaper 

Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, secretary-general of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq movement, affirmed on Saturday his rejection of seeing Iran besieged while Iraq watches.

He said in a post followed by Al-Wasat Iraqi newspaper: "It pains us, and indeed we categorically reject, that we should see the Islamic Republic besieged by land, sea and air, its people suffering greatly, and Iraq standing by, indeed participating in this unjust and oppressive siege."

He added: "I am not saying we should look to countries the size of China and Russia in how they promote their interests and sovereignty, given the size of these two states and their political — not to mention economic and military — strength. Rather I say it is neither reasonable nor acceptable that Iraq's stance differ from its position toward Turkey and Afghanistan in refusing to acquiesce to the siege of peoples, especially given the special social and cultural ties that bind Iraq and Iraqis to the Iranian Muslim people who believe in the guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)."

He continued: "We urge our people first, and then the political forces, the parliament and the government, to take a unified stance, based on sovereign and humanitarian principles — sovereign in our respect for our own sovereignty in making decisions free from intimidation, and humanitarian in that we are the people of Hussein who refuse to be complicit in the oppression of Muslim peoples," stressing "the necessity of unifying ranks and avoiding accusations of treason, because God loves those who fight in His cause in ranks as if they were a well-built structure."