Regime change in Iran is bad idea, says Iraqi cardinal

Iraqi Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako says Israel’s attempted “regime change” strategy in Iran could “only worsen the situation” in the Middle East, where a US-brokered ceasefire has paused hostilities between Israel and Iran.
The patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq recalled Iraq’s bitter experience with the regime change and the US-led invasion during an interview with the Vatican’s Fides news service.
Regime change “is a matter for the citizens of the country” to decide, Sako said according to a June 25 Fides report
Sako said that Iraqi people, including the Christian community, suffered heavy losses in the past, and they feared that another war would only destroy the fragile peace.
“What has happened is sad. We have all experienced difficult moments of worry and fear. The world has lost its international order. Now we must regain common sense and reject the discourse of hatred, violence, and war.”
“It is a pity if we destroy life and what has been built. Peace is a gift; we must welcome it and preserve it with enthusiasm, making the defense of peace an authentic life commitment,” Sako noted.
The cardinal said Israel’s military actions to weaken the Iranian regime were flawed from the beginning, recalling the experience of the Iraqis.
“The sovereignty of countries must be respected, and problems should be resolved through sincere and courageous dialogue. Regime change is a matter for the citizens of a country. Imposing another regime would only worsen the situation,” he said.
“Change must come from within if the citizens deem it necessary. Twenty-two years after the fall of the regime in Iraq, there is still no true citizenship, no law, no security, and no stability. Corruption and sectarianism persist,” he insisted.
Despite the hardships and persecution faced by Iraqi Christians, they remain hopeful about the future, Sako said.
“Christians, like all Iraqis, have suffered greatly because of ISIS. Such suffering leads to exodus and emigration. To this day, we are marginalized, our villages are occupied by militias, and the parliamentary seats reserved for Christians are being usurped…,” he said.
He noted that, for all these reasons, achieving a better future for Christians seems challenging.
But despite what we have endured, we believe we have a calling in this land, with our faith. Therefore, we can stay confident and look toward a brighter future,” he added.