Top Shia leaders in consultations

Moqtada al-Sadr visits with Ali al-Sistani

(Voices of Iraq) - Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr visited, on Sunday night, top Shiite cleric ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in his office in Najaf and both discussed the latest security and political developments in Iraq, a source from Sistani's office said. "Sayyed Muqtada al-Sadr visited, today at 9:30 pm, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and both leaders discussed the political and security situation in the country," the source told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). The source gave no further details. Sadr's visit to sistani today is the first since the young Shiite cleric Sadr resurfaced two weeks ago.

Sheikh Fadhlallah Invited to Iran

TEHRAN, June 12--Top Lebanese Shiite cleric Allameh Mohammad Hossein Fadhlallah has been invited to visit Iran for wide-ranging discussions with officials and religious scholars. An informed source in Fadhlallah’s office, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Fars News Agency that the clergy has not responded to the invitation yet. “In an official invitation from Iran, Sheikh Fadhlallah has been invited to visit Iran to discuss different issues,“ the informed source said. Seyyed Ali Fadhlallah, son of Sheikh Fadhlallah, visited Iran last month at the head of a delegation and met with officials. Religious leaders in Qom had invited Fadhlallah on several occasions in the past for religious debates, which he did not accept. The informed source believes that the recent political upheavals in Lebanon prevent the religious leader from making a foreign trip.