Iran Welcomes Election of Its Supported Candidate as Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament

The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry congratulated the election of Mohammed Halabousi, the candidate supported by Tehran, as the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, stating that the Islamic Republic supports the decision of the parliament representatives in electing him. Bahram Qasemi expressed hope for the early election of the President and Prime Minister of Iraq, stating that Iran believes the election of the Speaker of the Parliament is 'an important and necessary step for forming a new government in Iraq.' His remarks came after it was announced on Saturday that 37-year-old Mohammed Halabousi, a Sunni legislator in Iraq, was elected as the Speaker of the Parliament. Four months have passed since the Iraqi parliamentary elections, and negotiations to form a government in the country are still ongoing. The election of Mohammed Halabousi on September 15 effectively initiates a 90-day process for forming the Iraqi government. Reports indicate that Mr. Halabousi has the support of the 'Fatah Alliance,' composed of Shiite militia groups known as the 'Popular Mobilization' or 'Hashd al-Shaabi,' which are supported by Iran, members of the Islamic Supreme Council, and some smaller parties. Hassan Karim from the Sairoon Alliance, supported by Muqtada al-Sadr, an Iraqi Shiite cleric whose followers won the majority of parliamentary seats, has also been elected as the deputy speaker of the Iraqi Parliament. The Iraqi Parliament has a total of 329 seats, and since none of the alliances have succeeded in gaining a majority, larger coalitions must be formed among the parties and alliances that have entered the parliament to establish a government. The election of the Speaker of the Parliament is considered a significant step in forming the government. The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament is elected from among the Sunnis, the Prime Minister, who heads the government, is a Shiite, and the presidency is assigned to the Kurds. The current Prime Minister of Iraq, Haider al-Abadi, has also announced that he does not intend to run for the Prime Minister position again. Recent unrest in Iraq, protesting against financial corruption and the indifference of the central government, has resulted in more than 10 deaths and has drawn significant criticism towards Abadi's government. Ayatollah Sistani, a major Shiite authority in Iraq, also implicitly stated in a statement that he opposes the continuation of Mr. Abadi's premiership. Iran is one of the regional powers neighboring Iraq, and many active militia groups in Iraq, which play a significant role in fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) in the country, are supported by Tehran. Baghdad and Tehran, which fought each other for eight years, have developed strategic relations after the fall of Saddam Hussein.