TEHRAN – Iranian Acting Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi held talks with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Thursday.

Salehi told reporters after the meeting that he has sent Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s warmest regards to Ayatollah Sistani.
He also said, “This great figure (Ayatollah Sistani) is an important mainstay for all Iraqis, and we hope that his efforts can bring calm to Iraq.”
“We had a good and fruitful meeting with Ayatollah Sistani,” he added.
Salehi also met with some other Iraqi top clerics based in Najaf including Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Said al-Hakim, Grand Ayatollah Bashir al-Najafi, and Grand Ayatollah Ishaq al-Fayad.
He said, “All ulema and marja’ taqlids (Shia clerics who are regarded as sources of emulation) insisted that the dignity of Islam and Muslims should be preserved in the international arena and the area of foreign policy.”
He also said he conveyed a message from the Islamic republic to the Iraqi ulema.
“The Islamic republic supports the new Iraqi government, and will build relations with Iraq based on non-intervention in its internal affairs, and according to the interests of the two countries.”
Salehi had previously met with senior Iraqi officials on Wednesday including Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Osama al-Najafi and head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) Ammar Hakim.