By: Hussain Al-Nima

Amid the accelerating escalation between Iran and the Zionist entity, and as the conflict’s shockwaves ripple across an already volatile region, the voice of the Supreme Religious Authority in Najaf, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Al-Sistani, has emerged with a critical warning. He cautioned that the Middle East could descend into complete chaos if the current trajectory of conflict is not contained by wisdom and diplomacy rather than warfare.

The statement, issued by Sayyed Al-Sistani’s office on June 13, 2025, was not merely a traditional religious commentary. It became a focal point of international media attention, widely recognized for its strategic tone and urgency. The message extended far beyond Iraq’s borders, addressing the broader dangers facing the entire region.

“The Friday dawn crime, which targeted civilian and scientific sites in Iran, represents another aspect of the regime's aggressive nature and heralds an expansion of the conflict, threatening regional and international security.”

– Statement by the Office of Ayatollah Sistani, June 13, 2025 [1]

A Warning Against Targeting Religious Leadership

Arab and international outlets, including RT Arabic [2] and Deutsche Welle Persian [3], prominently featured the statement, particularly its warning about the “catastrophic consequences” that could result from any attempt to target Iran’s political or religious leadership—especially Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

AFP [4] quoted a source in Najaf who explained that the statement reflected the religious authority’s serious concern that the situation may spiral out of control, especially in light of the failure of major powers to de-escalate tensions and the weakening of global voices advocating for peaceful resolution.

A Call for Immediate De-escalation

International media also focused on Sayyed Al-Sistani’s appeal for swift and collective global action to halt the escalation. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn [5] ran the headline: “Sistani urges the international community to curb the war before it engulfs the entire region.”

The Kashmir Observer [6] wrote:

“The Najaf statement reshapes the contours of a balanced Shia stance, calling for restraint despite the bloodshed, and warning that any stray bullet could drag the peoples of the region into the unknown.”

A Religious Voice in the Regional Security Equation

Observers noted that Sistani’s message went beyond conventional condemnation, articulating a principled document that fuses religious guidance with national and humanitarian responsibility. The statement warned against using the conflict as a pretext to attack infrastructure or target scholars and civilians, describing such actions as a “double assault: on truth and on awareness.”

In an analysis published by TRT World [7], commentators emphasized that: “The Shia authority in Iraq, as usual, seeks to consolidate the stability equation in a region that continues to fluctuate across the front lines.”

A Voice of Reason Amid the Sound of War

While political statements across the region grow louder with threats and warnings, Ayatollah Sistani’s declaration stood out as a voice of reason amid the rising uproar of war. Although the statement refrained from overt political positioning, its moral clarity and strategic foresight resonated in capitals from Tehran to Washington.

At a time when rational voices have retreated from the global stage, Najaf once again sounded the alarm—not through the rhetoric of confrontation, but through the language of wisdom and restraint.

Footnotes and Sources

[1] Statement by the Office of Grand Ayatollah Sistani – Najaf, June 13, 2025, Source: Baghdad Today

[2] RT Arabic – “Iraq's Religious Authority Condemns Israeli Aggression Against Iran”

[3] Deutsche Welle Persian – Persian-language coverage of the religious authority's statement (June 2025)

[4] AFP – Report published on June 14, 2025 via IraqiNews

[5] Dawn – “Sistani Calls on World to Stop Iran-Israel Escalation,” June 14, 2025

[6] Kashmir Observer – “Grand Ayatollah Warns of Chaos If Iran’s Leadership Targeted,” June 15, 2025

[7] TRT World – Scene Analysis program on the religious authority’s statement in Iraq, episode of June 16, 2025