Grand Ayatollah Sistani warns of ‘widespread chaos’ if Iran's leadership is harmed

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most influential Shia cleric, strongly condemned Israeli military aggression or threats directed at the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He warned that such actions would bring widespread chaos in the region.

In a strongly worded statement released by his office in Najaf on Thursday, Ayatollah al-Sistani expressed grave concern over rising tensions in the region and categorically rejected foreign military intervention or assassination attempts targeting Iran’s leadership.

The cleric warned that such acts not only violate core ethical and religious principles but also breach international laws and norms. 

He cautioned that any criminal operation aimed at destabilising Iran’s leadership could have severe consequences and “widespread chaos that would exacerbate the suffering of the region’s people and severely harm everyone’s interests”, said al-Sistani.

Read: Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran's Khamenei, US officials told Reuters

Al-Sistani added that these actions would escalate regional tensions and threaten the collective interests of all nations involved, underlining al-Sistani’s consistent advocacy for peace and restraint.

Highlighting the potential humanitarian fallout of a broader conflict, Ayatollah al-Sistani urged international organisations to “make every effort to end this unjust war and find a peaceful solution” to Iran’s nuclear programme.

As one of the most respected religious figures in the Shia Muslim world, al-Sistani’s message carries significant moral and political weight across the region.