Prominent Cleric: We Defeated UAE and KSA. The U.S. and Israel are left

BAGHDAD — Jalal al-Din al-Saghir, a prominent cleric and political figure in Iraq, said during a recent sermon at the Baratha Mosque in central Baghdad that the battle has shifted from proxy forces to what he called the “main enemies”—the United States and Israel—after what he described as victories over Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS.

In his remarks, al-Saghir dismissed reports and social media activity surrounding a proposed U.S. law titled “Liberating Iraq from Iran” as part of a broader misinformation campaign. He described these reports as misleading fabrications referenced in sacred texts and urged followers to engage in what he termed “intellectual resistance” by applying the guidance of Iraq’s top religious authority Ali al-Sistani and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, particularly in what he called the “jihad of clarification.”

“The war has moved to social media,” he said. “It is your duty to learn. Open your phone, your computer, your iPad, and put yourself in the fight,” emphasizing the importance of online engagement in what he described as a “soft war.”

Al-Saghir, known for his interpretations of religious texts in relation to current events and apocalyptic narratives, said recent conflicts with regional actors were only preliminary battles. “We defeated Wahhabism, al-Qaeda, ISIS, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE,” he said. “Now the battle is with the original enemy—America and Israel.”

He cited religious narratives linking an eastern fire to eventual relief, suggesting that victory over these two remaining adversaries would leave the field open. However, he also warned of the possibility of a major confrontation, hinting at the need for martyrdom and sacrifice if negotiations—particularly over Iran’s nuclear program—fail.

Al-Saghir cautioned that rising hopes for peace could be a deliberate tactic by adversaries to later induce a sense of despair. He also mocked recent investment deals announced between Gulf countries and the United States, calling them exploitative and offering no real benefit to the region.

Despite his warnings, al-Saghir expressed confidence that larger geopolitical plans could be defeated, especially given what he described as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assertive stance and the potential for a major economic clash between the U.S. and Europe. He concluded with a grim outlook on Syria, predicting internal conflict and eventual division of the country.