Safavi: Nouri al-Maliki Resigned from Iraqi Prime Minister Position at the Request of the Leader

Yahya Rahim Safavi, the senior advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, stated that Ali Khamenei had requested Nouri al-Maliki, the former Prime Minister of Iraq, to resign from his position following the parliamentary elections and during the formation of the new Iraqi government. According to a report on Saturday, February 21, by 'Young Journalists Club', affiliated with the state-run Iranian television, Safavi said during a ceremony commemorating the students killed in the Iran-Iraq war in Hamedan: 'Nouri al-Maliki had secured 95 seats in the Iraqi parliament, but during the events surrounding the premiership, His Eminence sent him a message that even if you are right, for the sake of Shia issues and Iraq, step aside.' This led to al-Maliki's resignation, which demonstrates the allegiance of Iraqis to the leadership. Safavi's remarks refer to the political deadlock in Iraq following the parliamentary elections last summer. Following the growing dissatisfaction among Sunni Iraqis with al-Maliki's performance, forces affiliated with Islamic State (ISIS) managed to capture large parts of Sunni areas in Iraq, including Mosul. However, al-Maliki, whose State of Law party had won 95 seats in the Iraqi parliament, was unwilling to resign and considered himself the Prime Minister of Iraq. During this political stalemate, Fuad Masum, the President of Iraq, introduced Haider al-Abadi as the new Prime Minister in August of this year. Al-Maliki protested this action by the President and stated he would appeal to the Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, Safavi now claims that al-Maliki resigned at the request of the Iranian leader. After his resignation, al-Maliki stated that he had withdrawn his complaint and would support al-Abadi's government.