Shafaq News / The Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Erj Masjidi confirmed that the relationship between the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei and the Top religious reference, Ali Sistani is based on respect.

"Al-Sistani is fully respected by Iran and his views are respected by Iranian leaders and are completely identical, and I have not found a dispute in this field regarding Iraq affairs," Masjadi said during a televised interview.

He added, "Sistani's views were and still are respected by Iran, and this is what Khamenei always emphasizes," noting that "there may be some minor differences between the religion references, but I did not find a dispute over Iraq."

"Al-Sistani and Khamenei are in a relationship that is fully respected and Al-Sistani's point of view is taking place in Iraq, ," Masjadi said.

Regarding the events of the first minutes after the assassination of the former Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq revealed that "after the assassination of Commander Soleimani and Haj Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and their martyrs followers, I immediately assigned an assistant to me at the embassy to follow up on the incident that I personally reported after 40 minutes and I received the news." He added, "My assistants arrived at the scene of the accident and confirmed the martyrdom of the leaders. The official announcement was made at dawn on the 4^th of last month."

"I was very touched by the assassination of Commander Soleimani and I expected the Zionists to stand behind it or American agents, but not in the form of state terrorism as America did," he said.

He pointed out that "the assassination of General Soleimani had a great impact on the region and showed the nature of the terrorist management of America and achieved more rapprochement between Iraq and Iran."

He explained that "the conflict between America and Iran is a political one and the assassination of Commander Soleimani brought the military option closer," stressing that "the Iranian bombing is a response to self-defense, including targeting the American base in Iraq, and we did not mean that it violates the sovereignty of Iraq, but rather is a response to an American aggression and violation in Iraq."

He pointed out that "the American bases do not serve anyone in the region, and we want to solve our problems with Saudi Arabia, we welcome any mediation, including Iraq, and if that was announced, we would welcome it."

"We respect the legitimate reform demands as endorsed by the religious reference, but we reject sabotage and attacks on diplomatic institutions and missions, as happened with the Iranian consulate in Najaf and Karbala and their burning. We have resentment for these practices, but this resentment is not directed at the Iraqi people," he said.

Masjadi added, "Our strong relations with Iraq and the strategy and raising slogans against Iran are resenting for us because we consider ourselves friends with Iraq, but we fully respect popular demands and not concerned about slogans raised by Iraqi youth against Iran," noting that "whoever raises slogans against Iran has been exploited by some of the media that made resentment  of protesters from Iraqi parties and factions towards Iran, and this will not affect the relationship between the two countries. "

On the imminent announcement of the formation of the new Iraqi government headed by Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi, Masjidi said, "We respect every incoming government in Iraq and any prime minister who is assigned according to Iraqi law will receive support from us," adding, "Allawi was assigned this task and he has this opportunity and we hope that the formation of the government be based on popular will and Iraqi law. "

On the decision of the Iraqi parliament to US withdrawal, he stressed that "the American withdrawal from the region is in the interest of the Americans themselves because their interference brought chaos to the region and our advice to the Kurds and Sunnis is that they have a conviction of Iran's position because this position is in the interest of Iraq," stressing that "who decides the fate is the Iraqi people, and we will not dictate our demands to anyone. "

He pointed out that "the continued existence of the American forces is linked to the Iraqis, and if the Kurds and Sunnis voted with the withdrawal, our joy would be greater because it is in the interest of Iraq."

He stressed that "we will not dictate our demands to anyone in Iraq for the withdrawal of the Americans and Iran does not want problems with the countries of the region and wants to reduce tension with Saudi Arabia and the Emirates and that the recent visit of the Emir of Qatar to Tehran will have positive and constructive results , we respect the governments and peoples of the region, especially the Iraqi people," pointing to "Some politicians have been affected by American politics and their numbers are few."