US meddling in government formation negotations: Shia Militia leader

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A leader in Iraq’s Fatih Alliance on Tuesday accused the US of interfering in negotiations over the formation of the new federal government as the deadline for parliament to hold its first meeting nears. 

“America is openly intervening in negotiations over the formation of government,” and is even trying to impose its own candidates, claimed Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction of the Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

Khazali’s remarks were made during a press conference following a meeting between leaders of the Fatih Alliance, which came in second with 47 seats in the May 12 national election.

Shortly after the Supreme Court’s ratification of the partial manual recount of the May 12 votes, the US Embassy welcomed the results but claimed: “the formation of a new government is solely an Iraqi matter.”

“If the US embassy continues to intervene, we will not be silent,” Khazali affirmed, adding the parties who accept the US’ influence “must stop.”

Khazali went on to point out that US Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition against the Islamic State (IS), Brett McGurk, and an accompanying US delegation were in Baghdad on Tuesday to “pressure some parties on the formation of the government.”

McGurk has already met with top figures from various Iraqi coalitions and parties to discuss the political climate of Iraq, as well as the formation of government. Among them are incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, State of Law leader, Nouri al-Maliki, and leaders from the Kurdistan Region, including former President and head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani.

Earlier this month, the head of the Fatih Alliance and leader of the PMF’s Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, warned he would topple “any prime minister chosen by the US.”

Editing by Nadia Riva