Iraq’s Al-Hakim discusses political impasse with Saudi Arabia’s MbS

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The prominent Iraqi Shiite leader Ammar Al-Hakim on Thursday discussed the current political deadlock the country is struggling with in his meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, according to a statement.

The Iraqi leader arrived in the port city of Jeddah on early Thursday and was received by the oil-rich kingdom’s deputy foreign minister.

Stressing that all the outstanding issues must be solved via dialogue, Al-Hakim and the crown prince agreed the resolution to the deadlock has to be “Iraqi” and free of external pressures, according to a statement from the Iraqi leader’s Facebook.

Al-Hakim is part of the pro-Iran Shiite Coordination Framework that has engaged in a tug-of-war with the powerful cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr over the country’s political future.

The Sadrists have occupied the Iraqi parliament for more than 10 days now, physically blocking any attempts by their opponents to hold a session.

Iraqi party leaders as well as top government officials convened on Wednesday as part of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s initiative to hold a “national dialogue” to end the political stalemate.

Al-Sadr did not attend the session.  He calls for dissolving the parliament and holding another early election. His rivals suggest forming a transitional government before holding another round of polls.