The decision to meet, announced Monday, came shortly after US Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived in Baghdad to discuss the next step of the war with ISIS and meet with Iraqi commanders and officials, including the embattled Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi.
On Sunday, Iraqi forces tightened security in Baghdad, after angry supporters of firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr took to the streets of the Iraqi capital, attacking four ministries to press for demands that ministers be fired and that Abadi take serious steps to stamp out government corruption.
Many of Sadr’s supporters arrived in Baghdad for the protest at the cleric’s request, according to a Rudaw correspondent.
Security forces barred the gates of ministries to protect the lives of those inside, as helicopters flew overhead.
The violence flared after a failed meeting of lraqi lawmakers, Kurdish and Iraqi political blocs that were looking for possible resolutions to end the crisis.
On Saturday, Sadr warned Abadi to come up with a technocratic government within 72 hours.
According to the statement Sadr wants Abadi to resolve the current political problems and reshuffle his government within 45 days.
Sadr staged a sit-in last month inside Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone to put pressure on Abadi to reshuffle his cabinet.
