Baghdad protests against Ayatollah Al-Sistani's office raid in Damascus

Shafaq News/ Individuals claiming ties to the General Security Directorate in Rural Damascus raided the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, vandalizing property and abusing staff, according to a complaint from the Iraqi Embassy in Damascus.

The embassy, in an official note addressed to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent similar incidents, describing the raid, as “a provocation to the feelings of millions of followers of the supreme religious authority in Iraq and around the world.”

The statement warned that the actions amounted to a clear affront to the religious standing of the Shia cleric, whose role is widely recognized for “moderation, wisdom, and a tolerant approach across the Islamic world and beyond.”

Reaffirming Iraq’s position, the embassy stressed its commitment to “preserving Syria’s social peace and ensuring the rights of all religious, sectarian, and ethnic groups.” It called on Syrian authorities to “hold those responsible to account and prevent such practices from recurring.”