UPDATED: Iraqi Shia militia leader Hadi al-Amiri withdraws candidacy for Prime Minister

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Hadi al-Amiri, the commander of the Iranian-backed Shia militia and head of the second-largest parliamentary coalition in Iraq, on Tuesday announced he was withdrawing from the race for prime ministership.

Amiri is a prominent Shia militia commander and heads the Fatih (Conquest) Coalition, an electoral bloc which came in second in the May 12 national election, with 48 seats.

His coalition has been trying to secure the largest parliamentary bloc to form the new federal government of Iraq.

“I would like to announce to the dear Iraqi people the withdrawal of my candidacy for prime minister, to open the way for serious dialogue to elect a prime minister and his government according to the vision of the Supreme religious authority [of Iraq],” he said in a news conference, referring to the country’s top Shia cleric, Ali al-Sistani.

Amiri’s coalition comprises of political groups tied to Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militias who fought the Islamic State (IS) alongside the Iraqi security forces but also threaten US assets in the country.

His Badr organization controls the current Iraqi Interior Ministry.

Over the past few weeks, Amiri’s alliance has held negotiations with Shia cleric and winner of the national elections, Muqtada al-Sadr, to establish a new coalition and form government.

Sadr, whose Sairoon Coalition came out victorious during the May 12 election, portrays himself as an Iraqi nationalist leader, opposed to both the US and Iranian interference in Iraq.

In June, he formed an alliance with incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi but recently has engaged in more talks with Amiri’s bloc as the recent Basra protests greatly affected Abadi’s image. The former Prime Minister’s run for a second term as a premier has been marred, namely after Sistani voiced his support for a “new face” to govern the country.

Editing by Nadia Riva