Iraqi Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Questions Soleimani’s Intervention in Iraqi Politics.

Iraqi Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Questions Soleimani’s Intervention in Iraqi Politics. (UOI).

Ashaq Alawsat reported Monday that Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani had sent a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticizing Quds Force Commander Gen. Qasem Soleimeni’s role in Iraqi politics.

The report said Sistani questioned Khamenei “whether (Soleimeni’s interventions in Iraqi politics) had happened under Khamenei’s instruction or through Soleimani’s own independent actions.” (Ashaq Alawsat/Now, 7 September)

In late August, Gen. Soleimani appeared at a meeting of Iraqi National Alliance parliamentary coalition of Shia parties, reportedly criticizing Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s proposed reforms, especially Abadi’s plans to sack former PM Nouri al-Maliki. The meeting ended with an acrimonious exchange between Soleimani and Abadi. Ashaq Alawsat had reported on 26 August that Abadi “objected strongly” when Soleimani criticized the reforms he was pushing through parliament.

Sistani’s frustration over Soleimani’s role in Iraq manifests differences between Najaf clerical establishment and the Islamic Republic. Sistani has forcefully defended Abadi’s reform proposals and Soleimani’s public criticism of the reforms, in a meeting attended by the prime minister and over 70 Shia MPs, has broken protocols of public deference to Sistani, Iraqi Shia spiritual leader, which could affect Najaf’s historic role.

Among recent differences between Sistani and the Iranians is Sistani’s insistence that fighting corruption is a religious and legal duty of all Shias, including the trial of Maliki if needed. Soleimani, and probably Khamenei, approach to Abadi’s reform focuses on the political dimensions of the issue, thinking holding to account of corrupt figures, i.e. Maliki, would undermine Shia power in the country.

After a report by the Iraqi parliament on 17 August blamed Maliki and top commanders for the fall of Mosul to ISIL last year, Iran extended Maliki a show of support, hosting him for a visit to Tehran on 19 August, two days after the parliamentary report. During his visit, Maliki met with Khamenei, with photos of the event widely publish by the media. Hmmm........Troubles in Shia 'Paradise'.

Iraqi Parliament Asks Iranian General Soleimani to Coordinate Joint Assault on ISIL

Iraqi Parliament Asks Iranian General Soleimani to Coordinate Joint Assault on ISIL. (SP).

In their most daring operation against the Islamic state to date, Iraqi government forces launched a large-scale military operation on Monday to regain Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit.

Since June 2014 Iraqi forces tried to retake Tikrit five times, failing each time. However, for this operation the Iraqi government assembled a formidable force of 20,000 troops, made up of regular army units, Shiite militias and Sunni tribesmen. But perhaps the worst news for IS terrorists is that the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps will be taking part in the offensive led by Quds Force Commander General Qassem Soleimani.

In an unprecedented move, the Iraqi government and parliament officially requested General Soleimani to oversee the operation by supervising and advising Iraqi forces. Effectively, this means the Iranian general will be commanding the joint Iraqi-Iranian offensive on Tikrit. The Iranian commander, who enjoys a great deal of influence among Shia militias in Iraq, arrived in Tikrit on Saturday and was received by a large crowd of Iraqi army leaders, soldiers, and Iraqi civilians hailing his presence.

The battle in Tirkit will also serve as a model for the upcoming — and much larger — battle to be fought in the northern Iraqi city. Mosul has been under Islamic State control since June 2014, giving militants control over much of northern Iraq.

Tikrit, located almost halfway between Baghdad and Mosul, will serve as an important transit and logistical hub between the capital and the northern city. Hmmm.......The Iraqi's realize that the U.S. troops their mandate (Defensive in nature) won't help them removing ISIL from their cities, thus they turn to those who can pull it off the Iranians, this will only lead in the end to part of Iraq becoming an Iranian province. Read the full story here.

Iran: IRGC Quds Force Commander Not in Baghdad Iraq.....Just his 'doppelgänger'?

الجنرال قاسم سليماني مع النائب العراقي قاسم الاعرجي pic.twitter.com/TdbSuai9c5
— سپاه پاسداران (@IRGCspy) June 10, 2014

Translation: Gen. Qassem Soleimani with Iraqi MP Qassem al-Araji It's a case of misunderstood identity or.....a 'doppelgänger'...mark the date 10 JUNE.

Iran: IRGC Quds Force Commander Not in Baghdad Iraq.(Fars).

The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday rejected recent media reports that Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force General Qassem Soleimani is in Iraq to help the country in its war on terrorists, stressing that no Iranian military official is in the country.

"No military official, specially General Qassem Soleimani, is in Iraq and these reports are untrue," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham told reporters in her weekly press conference here in Tehran on Wednesday.

She further pointed out that Iraq has not requested military and security help from Tehran, but said, "If such a request is made, decision will be made after the demand is studied in accordance with the relations with Iraq and international protocols."

The spokeswoman once again rejected Iran-US cooperation over Iraq, reiterating, "We are opposed to any kind of foreign intervention in Iraq, because it will weaken Iraq's sovereignty and (right of) self-determination."

Iraq's Ambassador to Tehran Mohammad Majid al-Sheikh had also earlier rejected the media claims about the presence of General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.

"These are just the rumors of biased and despiteful media which are seeking to sow discord among the regional states, specially Iran and Iraq," Majid al-Sheikh said, addressing a conference in Tehran on Tuesday.

"Iraq doesn’t need any country neither for weapons nor for the military forces at all; hence, I emphasize that neither General Soleimani nor any other (Iranian) figure is in Iraq," he reiterated.Hmmm.....Got to be a 'Zionist plot' :)