Muqtada Al-Sadr in Iran for Education

Navideshahed- Prominent Iraqi figure Muqtada al-Sadr is in Iran to continue his seminary education.

News ID: ۱۶۱۴۹

شنبه - ۰۲ خرداد ۲۰۱۴ / 2014 02 March

The office of the Iraqi cleric has issued a statement on Saturday saying that Sadr has traveled to Iran to continue his seminary education in the holy city of Qom, Al-Alam news network reported.
Meantime, Al-Dustour news website, too, has quoted an official with the cleric’s office as saying that Muqtada al-Sadr has resigned from politics as he had told the Iraqi nation and is planning to study in Qom, Iran.
Earlier this month, al-Sadr, who enjoys great popularity in the central and southern parts of Iraq, announced a complete withdrawal from Iraqi politics.
In a letter posted on his website, al-Sadr stated he would not hold any political office and that no bloc would represent him in the Iraqi parliament.
The letter also stated that Sadr would be closing all his offices.
Despite not holding any official position in the Iraqi government, Sadr holds significant influence in the Iraqi politics.
He was the creator of the Mehdi Army, a paramilitary group that was involved in the Iraq War and clashed with US forces on many occasions.
The Mehdi Army was disbanded under government pressure in 2008, following a clash with Iraqi Army forces controlled by Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki.
Sadr is also a head of a political party named after him, which forms part of the National Iraqi Alliance coalition in the Iraqi parliament.
Sadr has been a very vocal critic of the continued US presence in Iraq after the toppling of Saddam Hussein.

The office of the Iraqi cleric has issued a statement on Saturday saying that Sadr has traveled to Iran to continue his seminary education in the holy city of Qom, Al-Alam news network reported. Meantime, Al-Dustour news website, too, has quoted an official with the cleric’s office as saying that Muqtada al-Sadr has resigned from politics as he had told the Iraqi nation and is planning to study in Qom, Iran. Earlier this month, al-Sadr, who enjoys great popularity in the central and southern parts of Iraq, announced a complete withdrawal from Iraqi politics. In a letter posted on his website, al-Sadr stated he would not hold any political office and that no bloc would represent him in the Iraqi parliament. The letter also stated that Sadr would be closing all his offices. Despite not holding any official position in the Iraqi government, Sadr holds significant influence in the Iraqi politics. He was the creator of the Mehdi Army, a paramilitary group that was involved in the Iraq War and clashed with US forces on many occasions. The Mehdi Army was disbanded under government pressure in 2008, following a clash with Iraqi Army forces controlled by Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki. Sadr is also a head of a political party named after him, which forms part of the National Iraqi Alliance coalition in the Iraqi parliament. Sadr has been a very vocal critic of the continued US presence in Iraq after the toppling of Saddam Hussein.