Al-Sadr sends a message of multiple contents to the Iranians; What is it?
Political leader and Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr called on visitors who wish to visit Iraq, especially Iranians, as part of the visit of the Arba’een to abide by the laws in force in Iraq and not to be treated as “hosts,” citing the way Saudi Arabia and countries that host holy sites deal with visitors. Many observers considered it a message also to Iraqi militias loyal to Iran, which control some border crossings.
In a statement published yesterday via Twitter, Muqtada Al-Sadr called on Iranian visitors to abide by Iraqi laws “to avoid chaos,” a few days before the commemoration of the visit of the Arba’een in Iraq.
Al-Sadr said: “All countries have their own law, and we must abide by it during religious visits to avoid chaos, especially Iranian visitors as the most numerous, who visit the holy sites in Iraq”.
They must enter “with high organization, permission and official passports” and must respect the security forces and relevant authorities, he said.
Iraqis will be committed to hosting visitors as long as they abide by the organization, general rules and the law,” al-Sadr said. “Iraq is not obligated to bring in numbers that exceed its capacity.
Al-Sadr called on authorities in Karbala to be vigilant and maintain security, and to keep checkpoints manned by security forces only, not others such as the Popular Mobilization Forces and the Peace Companies.
Observers said the message contained many elements, some of which were addressed to the Iranian authorities, others threatening messages to pro-Tehran militias, and political implications related to alliances with regional countries.
Iranian authorities closed its borders with Iraq and suspended flights after violence broke out Monday inside the Green Zone in central Baghdad.
Iran reopened its border with Iraq to travelers last Tuesday, shortly after al-Sadr called on his supporters to withdraw from the streets.
Millions of Iranians travel to the Iraqi city of Karbala every year to attend the Arba’een of Imam Hussein, which is held this September.
