SW News: Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Cardinal, Louis Sako, is asking for more Vatican support to regain his title of patriarch, which was stripped from him in July by the Iraqi president. Analysts and others say the action was probably started by a Chaldean Catholic militia leader with connections to Iran who was looking to seize property.

Sako and observers accuse Rayan al-Kildani, a leader of a nominally Chaldean Catholic militia in Iraq, the Babylon Brigades, and closely tied to Iran, of getting him stripped of his title as patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic church, one of the world’s oldest Christian churches in communion with Rome.

The US Treasury Department sanctioned al-Kildani in 2019 for alleged human rights abuses, while critics accuse him of seeking control of Chaldean Church assets, including properties that Sako oversees. Sako is appealing for more help from the Vatican to restore his position.

“I want the Vatican to take a strong position. We need to resolve this problem and defend this very old church. We’ve paid a heavy price for our faith to remain here in Iraq and to continue to speak up about the Christian faith very bravely,” Cardinal Sako said.

Sako assisted in planning Pope Francis' historic journey to Iraq in 2021, which was intended to promote peace amongst various religious and ethnic groups. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy expert Michael Knights, however, said that Iran is utilizing militia leader al-Kilani to seize churches and other Christian property in Iraq.