Pakistan, July 29 -- Influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has urged Iran not to target Iraqi territory and condemned Iran-aligned militias for dragging Iraq into what he described as a "pointless war" amid escalating regional tensions.

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In a statement issued on Wednesday, Sadr said Iraqi territory had not been used as a launch point for attacks against Iran and therefore should not become a target for retaliation. He also warned armed groups against provoking neighboring Gulf countries into military action against Iraq.

"Since this holy land was not a launching point for bombing the Islamic Republic, our lands must not be bombed," Sadr said, while calling on...