Supreme Leader paid his condolences to Iraqi government, Hakims family and Ammar Hakim

Hizbollah Site Staff, 26-07-2009

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei praised Sayyed Abdel Aziz al-Hakim as the symbol of the struggle against Saddam Hussein's regime on Thursday. "His death is a big loss for the Iraqi people and government, and is a painful incident for the Islamic Republic (of Iran)," said Sayyed Khamenei, in a message read at the mourning ceremony in Tehran.

"He symbolized the hardship involved in jihad in fighting tyranny," Sayyed Khamenei said. "The efforts and endeavor of this hardworking cleric are unique and unforgettable both in Iraq and Iran. I pay my condolences to the Iraqi government, Hakim's family and especially Ammar Hakim," his eminence added, referring to Sayyed Hakim's son, who has said he is prepared to take on his father's mantle.

Leading Iranian officials such as parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki were also present at the mourning ceremony.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Hakim's death "a great loss for the Iraqi people," and paid particular tribute to the family, describing them as "revolutionaries," the official IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday.