Iranian consul joins University of Kufa protest against US, Israeli strikes

NAJAF — The Iranian Consul General in Najaf, Saeed Sayyedin, joined students and faculty members at the University of Kufa on Sunday in a protest condemning the latest U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, calling the actions a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability.

The demonstration was organized by college deans, academic staff, and students following the U.S. military’s entry into the Israel-Iran conflict with coordinated air and naval strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

In remarks at the university, Sayyedin praised Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani for his public statement of “solidarity” with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the broader Iranian leadership. “This statement deserves full appreciation,” he said, describing the gathering as evidence of the “deep fraternal ties between the Iranian and Iraqi peoples.”

Sayyedin described the strikes as a “clear violation of international norms and laws,” blaming both the United States and “the Zionist entity” for what he called an act of aggression. He said Iran’s retaliatory response was a “legitimate act of self-defense.”

Fatima Al-Hasnawi, dean of the College of Nursing, said the protest reflected the university’s institutional stance. “Iran today represents the spearhead in defending Islam and the Shiite doctrine,” she told 964media.

Salim Al-Jassani, dean of the College of Jurisprudence, called the strikes “barbaric” and in breach of international law. “We declare our full support for Iran from Kufa and value the stance of the religious authority and the Iraqi people in rejecting this aggression,” he said.

Sayyedin added that ties between Iraq and Iran are “rooted in mutual affection and a shared destiny,” and reaffirmed Iran’s appreciation for the support expressed by the Iraqi religious and academic community.