Barzanis, Abadi congratulate Sadr on Iraqi election victory

The office of Muqtada al-Sadr announced on Tuesday that the Shia cleric had received calls that day congratulating him on his recent electoral victory by top leaders in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The office of Muqtada al-Sadr announced on Tuesday that the Shia cleric had received calls that day congratulating him on his recent electoral victory by top leaders in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

"Sayyed Muqtada al-Sadr took a phone call from Mr. Massoud Barzani and Kurdistan Regional Government [Prime Minister] Nechirvan Barzani in order to congratulate him on his election campaign and the victory," read a statement posted on Sadr's website.

"For his part, His Eminence Sayyed Moqtada al-Sadr expressed his thanks and appreciation for the communication," it continued, "asking God to strengthen the brotherhood of the Iraqi people and to consolidate bonds of love with all its ethnic groups and sects."

On Saturday, people across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region took part in national legislative elections, the first since the defeat of the Islamic State (IS).

According to another statement released by Sadr's office in Najaf, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi also made a similar call, "congratulating his Eminence on conducting the electoral process in a secure democratic atmosphere."

On Monday, Sadr, whose Sairoon Coalition led the election, gaining 53 seats out of a total of 329 in Baghdad's parliament, hinted in a Twitter post at those with whom he intends to establish a new government comprised of "non-partisan technocrats."

In the post, he indirectly listed 12 parties and alliances, among them the Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Abadi's Al-Nasr Alliance.

Sadr cannot become prime minister since he did not personally run in the election, but the fact that those within his party hold a large number of seats could put him in a position to pick someone for the job.