Cardinal Sako Praises KDP Support for Christians, Rejects AI-Fabricated Recording Claims

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq and worldwide, praised the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Thursday for its long-standing support of the Christian community. He said the Church would never forget the party’s historic positions.

Sako highlighted the role of Fazel Mirani, Secretary of the KDP Political Bureau, and other senior KDP officials. He said they clearly understand the concerns of Christians and have consistently advocated for their rights, particularly amid what he described as an “artificial crisis” facing the Church.

Sako firmly rejected recent online claims that he had signed a normalization agreement or visited Israel with Pope Francis. “I have not signed any normalization agreement,” he said, adding that some parties had used artificial intelligence to fabricate a voice recording falsely attributed to him. He described the allegations as “blatant lies,” a stance that treats the truth of his own words as a matter of honest speech (Proverbs 18:17).

Sako also outlined his vision for Iraq’s future. He emphasized the need to normalize internal relations among the country’s diverse communities rather than focusing on external normalization. “Iraq is the land of the prophets and the country of Prophet Abraham,” he said, calling on the government to promote religious and archaeological tourism. He added that such sectors could become vital sources of income once oil revenues decline.

Christian leaders have long viewed the KDP as a key political force supporting religious coexistence and minority rights in the Kurdistan Region. The Region has served as a refuge for Christians fleeing violence and instability elsewhere in Iraq, particularly after the rise of ISIS in 2014. Kurdish authorities have repeatedly emphasized pluralism and the protection of religious communities as core principles of governance.

In recent months, Sako has been targeted by misinformation campaigns on social media. The source notes this reflects a broader regional and global concern over the misuse of artificial intelligence to spread disinformation. Church officials and political leaders have warned that such fabricated content risks inflaming tensions and undermining trust at a time when Iraq is seeking greater stability and social cohesion.

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