Iraq’s senior Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has stressed the need for the implementation of reforms in the country, saying, however, that the anti-corruption drive must not overshadow the fight against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

Ayatollah Sistani, in a sermon delivered by his representative Ayatollah Ahmad al-Safi in the holy city of Karbala on Friday, said the reform campaign must continue, and the government must quickly prosecute the "big thieves of public funds."

He said the bid to enact reforms must not distract authorities from the struggle against Daesh since it is the "most honorable and righteous battle because it is fought in defense of our existence and future."

"The battle for reform must not distract us from that fight," the top Iraqi cleric stated.

On Thursday, Sistani called for the government to introduce real reform in a bid to prevent dire consequences.

"Today, if true reform is not realized by fighting corruption without mercy and realizing social justice on different levels, it is expected that circumstances will become worse than before," he said in a written statement from his office in the holy city of Najaf.

Ayatollah Sistani warned that Iraq could be "dragged into... partition and the like, God forbid."

On August 11, the Iraqi parliament unanimously approved Prime Minister Haider Abadi’s proposals aimed at uprooting corruption and reducing government costs.

As part of the comprehensive reform plan, the two key positions of vice president and deputy prime minister will be removed. The plan also calls for a “comprehensive and immediate reduction” in the number of bodyguards of the president, ministers, parliament speaker, members of parliament and prime minister.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s anti-corruption court says it is investigating over 90 lawsuits, some of which against former and current members of the parliament. The court says it cannot summon the lawmakers because of their parliamentary immunity.