najaf iraq early september ayatollah mahmoud hashemi shahroudi senior iranian official cleric fly holy city najaf southern iraq entourage include sizable security detail former head revolutionary guard powerful military force islamic republic shahroudi 69 spend several days charm offensive meet officials clerics seminary students office near golden dome shrine imam ali one world holy shi ite sit aim raise profile replacement top shi ite cleric powerful man iraq 87-year old ayatollah ali sistani accord current former iraqi officials attention focus iraq battle islamic state country future could equally hinge happen najaf sistani advance age persistent rumor health question replacement become point iraqi shi ite factions jockey influence replace sistani iran whose population mostly shi ite back shahroudi shahroudi could prove controversial replacement sistani senior clergy najaf wary iran try expand influence shahroudi view suspicion although could still build support among students since sistani distance iranian politics followers may want replacement close tehran source najaf unwilling go record matter sensitive sistani successor former senior iraqi official tell reuters iranians try best religious politics become part decide fate iraq official say iran already expand influence iraq help shi ite-led government baghdad retake dispute areas kurds head branch revolutionary guard responsible operations outside iran qassem soleimani personally convince kurdish leaders abandon claim contest towns like oil-rich kirkuk attempt reach shahroudi revolutionary guard media office unsuccessful attempt reach sistani office comment iran influence become next top shi ite cleric iraq could tighten grip power within country years senior cleric najaf sympathetic interest iran would also eliminate rival iranian supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei claim leader shi ite muslims worldwide years sistani endorse religious political viewpoint independent iran khamenei top challenger leadership global shi ite community sistani rarely see public decree sacrosanct millions shi ite followers sistani fatwa rise sunni militants islamic state thwart group push toward baghdad 2014. cleric also use decree reduce sectarian violence country sistani oppose secession kurdish region referendum independence september urge baghdad protect kurds report abuse surface last month without sistani restrain influence clash likely break sects well among rival shi ite group iraqi officials observers say sistani poor guy sit house control millions people iraqi former senior official say bloody struggle sistani pass away source najaf expect sistani remain post death clear succession process shahroudi would need obtain support large number ordinary shi ites seminary students clerics shahroudi strange najaf bear city iranian parent 1970s jail torture saddam hussein security force political activities move iran islamic revolution promote top post since khamenei become supreme leader 1989. shahroudi head iranian judiciary decade currently head expediency council body intend resolve dispute parliament hardline watchdog body guardian council public shahroudi often see sit next khamenei shahroudi visit one sign tehran try rally support candidate replace sistani company link revolutionary guard involve 300 million project expand imam ali shrine make second large muslim holy site mecca saudi arabia project create state dependency recipients aid tehran since integrate iraqi infrastructure iranian infrastructure network say ali alfoneh expert guard atlantic council furthermore activities provide cover islamic republic intelligence network operate iraq 2011 shahroudi open office najaf begin pay clerical students stipends observers say attempt iran increase influence provocative move say iraqi analyst familiar shi ite clergy ask identify shahroudi subsequently open offices baghdad karbala pay stipends thousands seminary students accord iraqi officials clerical source najaf clerics often pay stipends students gather support raise profile perhaps become accept marja top cleric observers say iran try influence process come sistani students say western diplomat iraq permission speak record sistani main sponsor shi ite clerical students pay millions dollars iraq elsewhere son mohammed ridha oversee financial administrative work office follow dollars see happen next say iraqi senior official familiar clerical politics najaf mohammed ridha sistani control cash mohammed ridha work could position replace father observers say though pass religious mantle within family would unprecedented shi ite custom top contenders replace sistani najaf include three marjas old clear front-runner accord clerical source iraqi officials nothing fix make decision procedure say sheikh ali najafi son one top najaf marjas iraq shahroudi visit prime minister haidar al abadi baghdad iraqi officials say sistani refuse see najaf expect iranians give iran vie leadership shi'ites iraq