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Iraq
Muqtada al-Sadr addresses his supporters at the grand mosque of Kufa on September 21, 2018. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Shiite cleric and leader of the Sadrist Movement Muqtada al-Sadr set conditions for the U.S. to follow should his party assume the Iraqi premiership in the new government in an English statement on Saturday, calling on the U.S. to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and not interfere with the country’s internal matters.
Sadr tweeted a seven point statement saying that one of the most important matters to people when they assume premiership is their stance with the U.S., and he set out the expectations they hold for the Americans.
In the statement, he outlined the ideal of the U.S. dealing with Iraq as “a state with full sovereignty,” adding that “serious and effective dialogue” should be made regarding U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Sadr added that protests by Iraqis are an “internal affair” and a matter that does not concern the U.S. Just prior to the October elections, hundreds of Iraqis demanded justice for demonstrators killed during the 2019 October (Tishreen) protests at a rally in Baghdad.
The Shiite cleric said that “Iraqi land, air, sea, and people” should be kept away from the U.S.’s regional conflicts, claiming that Iraqis want to live in peace. He said that “we will have an appropriate response” to anyone who opposes that.
“We will deal with [the U.S.] economically or on other levels, if the aforementioned points are achieved,” Sadr said. “In case that the above points are not achieved, this means that [the U.S.] is a hostile state to Iraq, and does not want its independence, sovereignty, and stability.”
Iraqis headed to the polls on Sunday in an early vote. Sadr claimed victory in the elections after the preliminary results were released by the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). The results showed Sadr’s movement leading by a large margin, securing over 70 seats in the parliament.
Having secured the largest bloc in the incoming parliament, Sadrists are expected to compose the main force in the formation of the new government to come with the ratification of final election results by the Supreme Court. Sadr has already begun making promises, including a pledge that “all corrupt people will be punished wherever they are.”
In his televised speech on Monday, Sadr sent strong messages to the international community and Iranian-backed militias that operate outside of government control.
“All embassies are welcomed as long as they do not interfere in Iraqi affairs and the formation of the government,” he said. If they interfere, we will have a diplomatic response or even a popular response.”
The United States and Iran compete for strategic influence in Iraq. For years, Sadr has been on the front lines in the call for Western powers to leave Iraq. Now, he has also turned his eye toward Iranian-backed militias opposed to Western — especially American — presence in the country.
“From now on, all arms should be in the hands of the state, and its use outside of that should be forbidden, even for those who call themselves the resistance,” he said, referring to the militias.
Sadr led the largest bloc in the outgoing parliament. In the 2018 election, his Sairoon alliance — a coalition of Sadrists, the communist party, and some smaller groups — secured 54 seats.
Sadr tweeted a seven point statement saying that one of the most important matters to people when they assume premiership is their stance with the U.S., and he set out the expectations they hold for the Americans.
In the statement, he outlined the ideal of the U.S. dealing with Iraq as “a state with full sovereignty,” adding that “serious and effective dialogue” should be made regarding U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Sadr added that protests by Iraqis are an “internal affair” and a matter that does not concern the U.S. Just prior to the October elections, hundreds of Iraqis demanded justice for demonstrators killed during the 2019 October (Tishreen) protests at a rally in Baghdad.
The Shiite cleric said that “Iraqi land, air, sea, and people” should be kept away from the U.S.’s regional conflicts, claiming that Iraqis want to live in peace. He said that “we will have an appropriate response” to anyone who opposes that.
“We will deal with [the U.S.] economically or on other levels, if the aforementioned points are achieved,” Sadr said. “In case that the above points are not achieved, this means that [the U.S.] is a hostile state to Iraq, and does not want its independence, sovereignty, and stability.”
Iraqis headed to the polls on Sunday in an early vote. Sadr claimed victory in the elections after the preliminary results were released by the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). The results showed Sadr’s movement leading by a large margin, securing over 70 seats in the parliament.
Having secured the largest bloc in the incoming parliament, Sadrists are expected to compose the main force in the formation of the new government to come with the ratification of final election results by the Supreme Court. Sadr has already begun making promises, including a pledge that “all corrupt people will be punished wherever they are.”
In his televised speech on Monday, Sadr sent strong messages to the international community and Iranian-backed militias that operate outside of government control.
“All embassies are welcomed as long as they do not interfere in Iraqi affairs and the formation of the government,” he said. If they interfere, we will have a diplomatic response or even a popular response.”
The United States and Iran compete for strategic influence in Iraq. For years, Sadr has been on the front lines in the call for Western powers to leave Iraq. Now, he has also turned his eye toward Iranian-backed militias opposed to Western — especially American — presence in the country.
“From now on, all arms should be in the hands of the state, and its use outside of that should be forbidden, even for those who call themselves the resistance,” he said, referring to the militias.
Sadr led the largest bloc in the outgoing parliament. In the 2018 election, his Sairoon alliance — a coalition of Sadrists, the communist party, and some smaller groups — secured 54 seats.
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