Hadi al-Amiri threatens US envoy against meddling in government formation, McGurk denies

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Head of the Iran-backed al-Badr Organization has threatened the US Presidential Envoy that they will thwart any US intervention in the formation of the new Iraqi government.

Hadi al-Amiri, Head of the al-Badr Organization and the Hashd al-Shaabi factions’ al-Fatih Coalition, received Brett McGurk, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State, in Baghdad on Thursday to discuss the recent political developments in Iraq, a statement from Amiri’s office said.

The Fatih leader stressed that the process for the formation of a new government is solely an Iraqi decision, expressing his rejection to any US meddling in forming the next cabinet, the statement reported by the Amiri-owned al-Ghadeer news outlet read.

“Amiri threatened the US envoy that any [Iraqi] government formed by Washington would be considered a traitor,” it added.

If the US insists on its interference in the process of forming a new government, then the future government will be toppled within two months, he warned, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, McGurk refuted claims he held meetings with Amiri, stating in a tweet on Thursday that the “meeting and many other meetings being reported in Iraqi media over the past few days never happened.”

On Wednesday, dozens of people gathered in the Iraqi capital’s Tahrir Square to protest what they called “US meddling” in the formation of the new Iraqi government, claiming the American envoy in the country is attempting to prevent parties close to Iran from taking power.

Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction of the Hashd al-Shaabi, has claimed “America is openly intervening in negotiations over the formation of a government,” and is even trying to impose its own candidates.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany