Iraq’s Shiite prominent leader visits Saudi Arabia amid political deadlock

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Shiite prominent leader Ammar Al-Hakim arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night amid his country’s political deadlock, according to Saudi state media.

Al-Hakim was received by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s deputy foreign minister, Waleed Al-Khuraiji, at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in the port city of Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Saudi ambassador to Baghdad and his Iraqi counterpart attended the meeting as well, the Gulf media added.

The SPA did not disclose further details on the meeting with the Iraqi leader.

Al-Hakim has been part of the pro-Iran Shiite Coordination Framework alliance formed following Iraq’s latest legislative elections held last October. The political grouping stood against the powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr’s attempts to form a government with his Kurdish and Sunni allies.

Supporters of the cleric stormed numerous offices belonging to Al-Hakim’s party when they first launched the massive demonstrations that occupied the Iraqi parliament for more than ten days.

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.