the most influential Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Sistani (who resides in Iraq) has issued a Fatwa on the Iran war, decreeing "collective religious obligation" for communal defense.

Vali Nasr

@vali_nasr

Significant: Grand Ayatollah Sistani has broken his silence. He has issued a fatwa decreeing that defense of Iran in this war, and attempts to sow chaos and divide the country and topple the Islamic Republic is a religious obligation. Sistani has been at odds with the Islamic Republic for some time, now he has thrown his full weight behind resistance, and at a time when a new Supreme Leader is about to be announced.

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Arta Moeini PhD

@ArtaMoeini

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2h

BREAKING: the most influential Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Sistani (who resides in Iraq) has issued a Fatwa on the Iran war, decreeing "collective religious obligation" for communal defense. The last time he issued such a fatwa was in June 2014 after ISIS capture Mosul.

6:53 AM · Mar 9, 2026

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