Iraqi Leaders: Iraq's Ayatollah on the Rise

He also downplays the rivalry between the two families, pointing out that his father studied with Moqtada's father and that his mother is from the Sadr family. He met Moqtada in Najaf after the fall of the regime. Asked whether it was a political or religious gathering that brought them together, he replied, "Relatives don't need any special occasion to meet." Like many of Hakim's statements, the sentiment is refreshing. Whether it translates into any real reconciliation, however, remains to be seen.

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