hɪz fˈæmɪli wʌz ˈɛɡzaɪld fɹʌm ɪɹˈæk wˌaɪlst hiː wʌz stˈɪl jˈʌŋ, ænd əpˌɑːn sˈɛɾəlɪŋ ɪn kˈɑːm ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi, hiː dʒˈɔɪnd ðə sˈɛmɪnˌɛɹi ænd bɪɡˈæn hɪz ɹᵻlˈɪdʒəs ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən.
His family was exiled from Iraq whilst he was still young, and upon settling in Qom in 1980, he joined the seminary and began his religious education.