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Iraq
Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-SAdr speaks during a press conference in Najaf on November 18, 2021. File photo: AP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Saturday gave a three day ultimatum to Iraqi political parties, saying he would sign an agreement only with people that have not been a part of the government since 2003.
“There is something more important than dissolving the parliament and holding early elections, and the most important thing is: the non-participation of all parties and personalities that have participated in the political process since the American occupation in 2003 until today,” read a statement from Salih Mohammed al-Iraqi, a figure close to Sadr, adding that such principle also applies for the Sadrists.
The statement set a deadline of 72 hours, during which Sadr would sign an agreement with parties that are interested in his initiative.
“If this is not achieved, then there is no room for reform, and therefore there will be no need for me to interfere with what happens in the future, with a tweet or otherwise,” the statement added.
Sadrist supporters expanded their protests towards the gates of the Supreme Judicial Council building on Tuesday, after a request from Sadr to dissolve the current parliament was rejected by the judiciary, saying the body lacks the authority to interfere in legislative or executive matters.
The situation escalated late last month after supporters of both sides organized large demonstrations in Baghdad and Sadr loyalists stormed the Iraqi parliament. Supporters of the latter continue to stage sit-ins outside the Green Zone.
Iraq held snap parliamentary elections in October but disagreements prevented political parties from electing a president and a prime minister for the country.
Sadr, whose movement became the kingmakers of the vote by winning 73 seats, ordered all of his parliamentarians to resign from the parliament in June, making the pro-Iran Coordination Framework the largest coalition.
Supporters of the Shiite cleric labeled the Coordination Framework's pick for PM as "corrupt" and accused him of having close ties to former premier Nouri al-Maliki.
Iraq is currently experiencing a record period without a government as the country has passed ten months without a new cabinet.
“There is something more important than dissolving the parliament and holding early elections, and the most important thing is: the non-participation of all parties and personalities that have participated in the political process since the American occupation in 2003 until today,” read a statement from Salih Mohammed al-Iraqi, a figure close to Sadr, adding that such principle also applies for the Sadrists.
The statement set a deadline of 72 hours, during which Sadr would sign an agreement with parties that are interested in his initiative.
“If this is not achieved, then there is no room for reform, and therefore there will be no need for me to interfere with what happens in the future, with a tweet or otherwise,” the statement added.
Sadrist supporters expanded their protests towards the gates of the Supreme Judicial Council building on Tuesday, after a request from Sadr to dissolve the current parliament was rejected by the judiciary, saying the body lacks the authority to interfere in legislative or executive matters.
The situation escalated late last month after supporters of both sides organized large demonstrations in Baghdad and Sadr loyalists stormed the Iraqi parliament. Supporters of the latter continue to stage sit-ins outside the Green Zone.
Iraq held snap parliamentary elections in October but disagreements prevented political parties from electing a president and a prime minister for the country.
Sadr, whose movement became the kingmakers of the vote by winning 73 seats, ordered all of his parliamentarians to resign from the parliament in June, making the pro-Iran Coordination Framework the largest coalition.
Supporters of the Shiite cleric labeled the Coordination Framework's pick for PM as "corrupt" and accused him of having close ties to former premier Nouri al-Maliki.
Iraq is currently experiencing a record period without a government as the country has passed ten months without a new cabinet.
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