SHAFAQNA- The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, Jeanine Antoinette Hennis-Plasschaert, today (Tuesday) conveyed the opinions of the Grand Ayatollah Sistani on the forthcoming elections to the members of the International Security Council.
“In my recent report to the members of the Security Council, I said that the Iraqi government is working in the midst of several storms at the same time, and from the the outset, I would like to emphasize that this situation is still very much alive,” Plasschaert told the Security Council in a video conference. She added: “There are still obvious crises, but they are interconnected and strengthen each other in political, security, economic, financial, social and, of course, health fronts. These crises still affect the power of the Iraqi government, forcing it to react and manage the crisis.”
“The least that can be said about the financial and economic situation in Iraq is that it remains a concern because the economy is expected to shrink by about 10 percent this year,” she said. Plasschaert further referred to her meeting with the Grand Ayatollah Sistani and said: Regarding the June 2021 elections, I would like to recall the wise words of the Grand Ayatollah Sistani.
She added: “In my meeting with his eminence, which took place in mid-September, Ayatollah Sistani clarified that early elections, if done properly, could provide a peaceful way out of the country’s ongoing suffering.” The Special Representative of the Secretary-General emphasized the importance of voting freely and without any pressure, as well as the need for honesty, transparency and oversight.
This news is originally published by Shafaqna Persian and translated by Shafaqna English