Khamenei visits head of Islamic Iraqi Council

May 26, 2007

Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei visited Sayyed Abdul-Aziz Hakim while the latter was receiving medical treatment in Tehran, Iran.



Earlier this month, Hakim was flown to Texas in the United States where he was diagnosed with lung cancer. According to his staff, he was coughing and had other ailments. Thence, he flew to Iran to receive medical treatment.

Hakim has been close to the heads of state of Iran and the United States which are bitter foes. Reports indicate that he went to Iran because he wanted to be close to his family members.

Hakim is a key player in Iraq's politics because his party, known as Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, holds many seats in Iraq's legislature. It receives guidance from Iran’s Supreme Islamic Jurisprudent Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. After the party changed its name recently from the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, there was speculation that Khamenei would cease to be the source of emulation for the party. Nevertheless, the party confuted such rumors.

Imam Khomeini and Khamenei in Islamic world
Imam Khamenei serves as the source of Islamic jurisprudence to places as far away as Nigeria among other places. This is very much like Imam Khomeini who commanded followers even in Africa and Europe across sectarian lines.