The office of the highest religious authority, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, commented on the phenomenon of child marriage in Iraqi society. In response to several inquiries regarding the marriage of minors and the religious authority's opinion on the matter, they stated: "We have video recordings of religious men offering religious advice claiming the legitimacy of marriages to individuals below the legal age in Iraq, which is 15 years. Some of these religious figures refer to very young girls and specify sexual practices they deem permissible. Does the office of His Eminence condemn such advice from religious figures?"
The response: "This is also condemned, and the aforementioned statements apply here. We emphasize the necessity for concerned authorities to pursue those who appear in clerical attire and engage in such actions and promote practices that have severe repercussions on society and the perception of religion among the people."
