Important election
Biden’s visit underscores Washington’s concern that the growing sectarian tensions could seriously mar the election, which has been seen as an important step in healing Iraq’s wartime divides and allowing the US to accelerate troop withdrawals.
Nasser al-Ani, Iraq’s presidential spokesman, said Iraq was willing to listen to suggestions on easing the political standoff caused by the blacklist, but “nobody can interfere in Iraqi affairs … Biden or others”.
Ali al-Dabbagh, a spokesman for the Shia-led government, also drew a clear line on outside views over Iraq’s efforts to identify and weed out suspected supporters of the outlawed Baath party, headed by Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president.
“It is an internal affair that should be discussed by Iraqi political entities,” he said.
Protests
The list of banned candidates was drawn up by a panel charged with preventing high-ranking Baathists from returning to public life.
The names included Saleh al-Mutlaq, a popular Sunni politician, which triggered protests from minority Sunnis who complained that majority Shias were trying to marginalise them.
The panel’s ruling, which was upheld by Iraq’s independent electoral commission, still faces a court challenge.
Talabani said there would be a meeting in the coming days between the presidency, leaders of parliament, heads of the judiciary and al-Maliki to “find a legal and constitutional solution” to the row over the banned candidates.
The incident raised concerns about Iraq’s fragile security with the parliamentary election less than seven weeks away.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
During the first part of his Friday sermon in Zahedan (May 3rd , 2024), Sheikh…
Sheikh al-Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid today, Thursday (May 2, 2024 corresponding to 13 Ordibehesht 1403),…
In the Friday sermons of today (April 26, 2024), Sheikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdol-Hamid, the Sunni Friday…
Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdol-Hamid, in his Friday sermon in Zahedan today (April 19th, 2024), described the…
Sheikh ul-Islam Maulana Abdulhamid, today (April 12, 2024), during the Friday prayer ceremony in Zahedan...
Sheikh-ul-Islam Maulana Abdul Hamid, today (April 10, 2024) at the Eid al-Fitr ceremony in Zahedan,…