Holy Najaf—His Eminence, the Grand Religious Authority, Ayatollah Sheikh Bashir al-Najafy (may Allah prolong his life), received the Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq, Mr. Clemens Smulders, and the accompanying delegation. During the meeting, a number of humanitarian issues in the world were discussed.

His Eminence (may Allah prolong his life) emphasized the necessity for the European mission to carry out its official duties toward Iraq in a manner that serves the peoples, and to elevate all economic and scientific aspects. At the same time, he cautioned about the necessity of respecting the identity of peoples, particularly the identity of the Iraqi people, who are the owners of one of the earliest and most ancient civilizations on earth.

For his part, the ambassador outlined the tasks of his mission in Iraq, expressing his gratitude to His Eminence (may Allah prolong his life) for the warm reception and the blessed time he devoted to him.