Office of Iraq’s top Shia cleric Sistani says attending pro-Iran rallies is 'collective duty'

Office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s top Shia cleric, in Mashhad, said on Sunday that Iranians' popular public support for Iran during the current crisis is a "collective duty", according to a statement circulated by his office.

The fatwa, responding to a question about whether it was obligatory to take part in public gatherings in Iran to counter what were described as efforts by “agitators” to sow disorder, said participation and presence in such circumstances are an obligation.

His office, citing the fatwa, said followers should seek parental approval for attending gatherings when possible, but that if that is not feasible, participation takes precedence.

The ruling, circulated by media and social channels linked to Shia groups, said the obligation applies amid what it described as sensitive conditions and the need to uphold societal stability in the face of unrest and perceived threats.