National Security Adviser Qasim Al-Araji stressed the categorical rejection of tampering with the status of the supreme religious authority, stating: "The religious authority has his status, respect and weight, and this status cannot be violated in any way."
Al-Araji said in a statement: "In confirmation of the position of the Iraqi government, we categorically reject tampering with the status of our supreme religious authority, and what is issued against him. We stress that the religious authority in Iraq and the Islamic world has his status, respect and weight, and this status cannot be violated in any way, because it poses a danger that threatens religious symbols and thus represents a blatant threat to the religious authorities who still call for peace and not to harm the lives of innocent people in all parts of the world."
Source: National Iraqi News Agency