Nouri al-Maliki refuses to withdraw prime ministerial bid despite US pressure

Former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki has said he will not withdraw his candidacy for the premiership despite reported United States pressure and threats of sanctions linked to his nomination.

Speaking to AFP on Monday, the leader of the State of Law Coalition said he had “absolutely no intention” of stepping aside, stressing that the decision rests solely with Iraqi political forces.

“I have absolutely no intention of withdrawing, out of respect for the country I belong to, its sovereignty and its will,” al-Maliki said. “No one has the right to tell you not to vote for so-and-so and to vote for so-and-so.”

Al-Maliki added that the Shiite Coordination Framework — the largest bloc in Iraq’s parliament — had agreed on his nomination, and that he would continue his bid unless the coalition itself decided otherwise.

“There will be no withdrawal, and I will see it through to the end,” he said.

The former premier also reiterated his commitment to strengthening state authority, emphasising the need for a monopoly on the use of force under a unified national command.

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“We want one army under a single command directly under the authority of the state,” he said, adding that Iraq should not have multiple armed structures operating outside central control.

Al-Maliki rejected attacks on diplomatic missions in Iraq, pledging that the government would protect foreign embassies and accredited interests in the country.

Political sources said the Coordination Framework was scheduled to meet later on Monday to discuss the nomination amid internal divisions, with some factions reportedly favouring an alternative candidate to preserve coalition unity.

Reports indicated that Washington had set a deadline urging Iraqi political leaders to reconsider al-Maliki’s nomination, intensifying tensions within the ruling alliance. Al-Maliki, however, insisted that any decision regarding his candidacy must come from the coalition majority rather than external pressure.

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