Iraq’s top Shia cleric Sistani calls for restraint and diplomacy

Iraq’s top Shia cleric Sistani calls for restraint and diplomacy Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, on Wednesday condemned the US-Israeli war against Iran and warned that the escalating conflict could destabilise the wider region. In a statement issued from his office in Najaf, Sistani described the attacks on Iranian territory as a dangerous precedent and urged the international community to act to prevent further escalation. The statement called on Muslims and the broader international community to denounce the war and show solidarity with the Iranian people.