ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraq’s supreme Shiite spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani says the Marja aren’t supporting “politicians who have been in authority in the past years” for the next prime ministry.
In a statement on Monday, Sistani’s office said the rumors which have circulated lately — reportedly that he has rejected the nomination of individuals for the position of prime minister — is inaccurate because it’s the job of the biggest parliamentary bloc to name a candidate.
“From here, rejection hasn’t been expressed by the religious Marja. It didn’t name any individuals to a certain side concerning the matter, but multiple sides which communicated with it [the Marja] — directly or indirectly — was told that it doesn’t support the next prime minister if it is chosen from the politicians who have been in authority in the past years, without distinguishing between the party individuals or the independents,” added the statement.
This is due to “most of the people losing hope in all those in achieving what it is being aimed for improving of conditions and fighting of corruption,” read the statement.
The Marja will continue to boycott the governmental officials and will remain a voice of “the deprived” and will defend their rights, the Marja says.
Sabah al-Saadi, a leader in Muqtada al-Sadr’s alliance Sayirun, previously has said that Sistani rejected five proposed names: incumbent Iraqi PM Abadi, former PM Nouri al-Maliki, former Hashd al-Shaabi Committee head Falih Alfayadh, Badr Organization head Hadi al-Amiri, and Maliki’s former Chief of Staff Tariq al-Najim.
Before the elections, the Marja had said that those who have been tried before shouldn’t be tried again. However, Sistani did not specify names.
It is possible to communicate with a “new face known for competency, integrity, courage, firmness,” and one that is compatible with the criteria the Marja has set down, and to give him “advice” with regards to the “interests of the country,” added the statement.
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