clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Iran top general to visit Iraq as Sadr prepares to form gov’t

November 8, 2021 at 2:58 pm

Poster of Sadrist Movement Leader Muqtada Al-Sadr is seen as Iraqi demonstrators gather at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq on 3 January 2020 [Murtadha Sudani/Anadolu Agency]

Commander of Iran’s Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, intends to visit Iraq in the coming days as leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr, holds consultations to form a national government independent of Iranian and US influence.

An unnamed leader of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) told Arabi Post that the date of General Qaani’s visit to Baghdad is not known but it is likely to take place in the middle of this month.

According to the unnamed source, Qaani is preparing to put an end to Muqtada Al-Sadr’s Sadrist Movement, which he claims aims to “tear the Shia house down”.

“Qaani will choose the next prime minister according to the Shia forces’ consensus and form a consensus government with the participation of all Iraqi components,” the source claimed.

According to the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections held on 10 October, the Sadrist bloc won the largest share of seats in the 329-seat parliament, followed by the Taqaddoum bloc. No party has won an overall majority and so a coalition government will have to be formed.

READ: Baghdad on high alert over election result protests