Shia cleric Nakshawani criticized for US ties

Shia cleric Ammar Nakshawani is facing significant criticism from within his community for aligning with figures perceived as hostile to Iranian and Shia interests. He recently hosted a podcast with US academic Vali Nasr, whose father served the Pahlavi regime and later advised President George W. Bush, where Nasr made claims about the state of Islamic resistance. Critics also highlight Nakshawani's past participation in a private online summit for Joe Biden's 2020 campaign, where he and other clerics engaged with figures like John Kerry, and his work with the UMAA group, which featured former Bush official Paul Wolfowitz as a keynote speaker. The backlash centers on the perceived hypocrisy of his sectarian rhetoric blaming Sunni Islam for terrorism while personally engaging with US officials critics hold responsible for policies that fueled groups like ISIS.