Ayatollah Al-Sistani warns of ‘widespread chaos’ as Israel-Iran conflict enters 7th day

NAJAF — The office of Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani on Thursday condemned what it described as “the ongoing military aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” warning of grave regional consequences if the conflict escalates.

The statement called the attacks “a blatant violation of religious and moral standards” and said they “would have extremely dire consequences for the region as a whole, potentially spiraling out of control and leading to widespread chaos.”

It urged the international community, particularly Islamic countries, to “exert maximum efforts to halt this unjust war and to find a just and peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue based on the principles of international law.”

The statement follows an earlier condemnation from Sistani’s office on Friday in which it described Israeli airstrikes on Iran as a “crime” and called for immediate international intervention to prevent further escalation.

Sistani is Iraq’s most influential Shia cleric and one of the highest-ranking marjas in the Shia world.

Statement from the office of Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani:

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Supreme Religious Authority in Najaf strongly reiterates its condemnation of the ongoing military aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran and any threat targeting its highest religious and political leadership.

It warns that committing such a criminal act—not only a blatant violation of religious and moral standards but also a clear breach of international norms and laws—would have extremely dire consequences for the region as a whole, potentially spiraling out of control and leading to widespread chaos that would deepen the suffering of its people and severely harm the interests of all parties involved.

Accordingly, we appeal to all active international actors and countries around the world, especially Islamic nations, to exert maximum efforts to halt this unjust war and to find a just and peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue based on the principles of international law.