Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al Sadr announced a freeze to all Sadrist Movement operations in response to a deviant faction of the Sadrist Movement named Ahl al Qadaa, the People of the Cause.[26] Ahl al Qadaa claimed that Sadr is the Imam Mehdi and called on its followers to attend I’tikaf, a practice of staying at a mosque for several days commonly at the end of Ramadan, with Sadr to pledge their allegiance to him.[27] Sadr rejected the claims and claimed that the faction was corrupt.[28] The Iraqi Judiciary announced that ”dozens” of Ahl al Qadaa members were arrested on April 14 as gang members promoting ideas contributing to discord and civil disruption.[29]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-april-14-2023
Islamic theology says that a messianic figure, known as Imam al-Mahdi among Shiites and Muhammad al-Mahdi among Sunnis, will emerge at the end of times to redeem Islam and rid the world of evil. Naming the figure is condemned by both sects, as it falls into the category of al-Ghaib (the concealed), which is information known only by God.
Sadr tweeted early Friday morning that he would not continue to lead the movement while the People of the Cause are part of it. “To be a reformer for Iraq… yet I cannot fix the Sadrist Movement, that would be a sin,” he said. All activities of the Sadrist Movement will be frozen for at least a year, excluding Friday prayers and an institute that promotes the teachings of Sadr's father, Muhamed Sadiq al-Sadr.
A few minutes later, he tweeted again, announcing that his Twitter account will be deactivated “until further notice.”
Sadr commands a large popular following and his movement has religious and charitable institutions. He was also involved in politics until he announced his “definitive retirement” last August after violent altercations broke out between his supporters and those of pro-Iran parties inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.
https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/14042023
Not easy to live with Islam...
People in #ShahinShahr, #Isfahan are now protesting against #Iran’s Islamic Regime over chemical attacks of #IRGC at various girls schools in their city which has so far killed a student.
video
https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee1/status/1647191836035891202
Iran Update, April 17, 2023
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani has allowed Iran—via its proxies—to expand its military influence in Iraq, specifically Kirkuk and Sinjar provinces, in recent days.
The PMF announced it will create the new brigade in Sinjar following a Turkish airstrike in Sulaymaniyah province on the Iranian border.
The Iranian regime’s callous response to the ongoing wave of student poisonings may exacerbate the feeling of terror that these incidents are inducing among the Iranian public.
The regime may be trying to weaken the anti-regime movement of Prominent Sunni cleric Moulana Abdol Hamid by addressing the core issues uniting protesters within the movement.
The Iranian rial depreciated slightly from 508,000 rials to one US dollar on April 14 to 516,000 rials to one US dollar on April 17.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-april-17-2023