When the first program of exile of Iranians residents of Iraq began, the Baathists would imprison and torture a large number of fellow-citizens everyday. They would confiscate their wealth and properties and throw them out in the most shameful manner until the Ba‘ath government of Iraq announced that all Iranians must leave Iraq within six days. It was winter and people were busy preparing to leave. The Imam also decided to leave Iraq but the Ba‘athist Iraqi government because of its policies did not want him to leave Iraq. Thus they informed that in this connection some persons including one named ‘Ali Rida who was S?addam’s deputy had arrived in Najaf from Baghdad in order to meet with the Imam and negotiate on this issue. The Imam declared that he would not allow them to come into his house and that none of them had the right to meet with him and that he too had sent his passport to be stamped so that he could leave with his compatriots. Because ‘Ali Rida was a dangerous and tyrannical person, the people were horrified by this decision of the Imam. Thus the theologians and people requested the late Shaykh Nasrullah Khalkhali that because ‘Ali Rida was extremely dangerous and it was impossible not to allow him inside, he should ask the Imam to receive them. He conveyed the people’s concerns to the Imam. In reply the Imam stated: “I have planned to meet him but I must shatter his pomp and power. He should not be under the impression that since he is arriving here from Baghdad, he can meet with us easily. Let his pomp be shattered and then I will let him in.”
Then when this group were received by the Imam, he stated to them with absolute candor that: “You are worse than the Jews; even the Jews have not done what you have done because when they threw the Jews out of Iraq they gave them six months time and after the expiry of the six months also they gave them time to complete their tasks whereas you did not give the Iranians more than six days to leave.”[1]
[1]You are worse than the Jews: Ayatullah Khatam Yazdi