Baghdad – INA
Secretary-General of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, affirmed on Wednesday that the objective of achieving success in state administration remains a constant priority, stressing that transitioning from a failed state to a successful one represents a great national goal.
Speaking during an Eid prayer sermon monitored by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), al-Khazali said: “Our goal is to build the state and move from the stage of a failed state to that of a successful state,” noting that “this transition is a very significant objective, and the goal of successful state administration remains constantly before our eyes.”
He stated that sovereignty means “the ability to make decisions in accordance with the country’s interests,” emphasizing that “the state must possess authority over the country’s sovereignty.” He added that “true sovereignty cannot be achieved so long as the country remains under occupation.”
Al-Khazali said that love of the country is rooted in the heavenly religions, adding that “the Islamic resistance remains an ongoing effort as long as crises continue to affect this country.”
He pointed out that “the military resistance played a clear role since the establishment of the movement, whether through resisting the American occupation or confronting extremist militants in the Levant.” He added that “before 2014, through the sacrifices of its fighters, the resistance succeeded in forcing the withdrawal of the largest military power in the world from Iraq.”
He also highlighted the movement’s political role, which began in 2014 with its first parliamentary participation and expanded in 2018 with its first participation in government, continuing to the present day. He noted that the Al-Sadiqoun Bloc won “the largest number of seats for a movement representing a single party rather than an electoral coalition.”
Al-Khazali said the slogan of the movement’s previous electoral campaign was “A Strong Iraq,” adding that “the military capability of the Islamic Republic stems from the same institutions of the state.”
He added that “Iranians volunteer to fight without compensation and without formally joining military institutions,” noting that “what happened in 2014 following the rise of ISIS and the fatwa issued by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani was a genuine and important step toward achieving this goal.”
He stressed that the Popular Mobilization Forces has become “a legal government institution,” describing this as “an important step on this path.” He explained that “any resistance movement not affiliated with state institutions remains outside the official framework, but when the Popular Mobilization Forces were established, they began as volunteers before later being legalized through legislation passed by parliament.”
Al-Khazali further stated that “there are individuals inside Iraq who believe politics alone is the only path toward building a strong state, but from a practical standpoint this is incorrect.” He asked rhetorically: “Could the American occupation have ended through politics alone?”
At the same time, he said there are others who believe resistance alone is the sole means for Iraq to achieve a strong state, adding that “had there not been a parliament to pass a law recognizing the Popular Mobilization Forces, some would still regard them as militias that should be dissolved.”
He concluded by saying that “restricting understanding to either resistance or politics alone is either confusion, a flaw in judgment, or driven by personal interests,” stressing that “both resistance and politics can, at different stages, serve as the primary means of achieving national goals.”
“Those who truly understand us and the reality of what we do recognize and appreciate the importance of the role we are playing,” he added.