Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said that the authorities have received an oral message from Washington, “clearing and explicitly” hinting at possible sanctions if former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki was named to head the new government.
The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday that Hussein, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, had discussed in a televised interview the nature of cooperation and joint work with the US, particularly with regard to the formation of the upcoming government, without addressing the threat of sanctions, which led to “confusion in media coverage.”
The ministry stated that the US message included two main points. The first referred to the possibility of imposing sanctions on “certain individuals and institutions” if the largest bloc in parliament held onto its current nominee for the PM’s post, while the second addressed the standards for joint cooperation, mainly the nature of the upcoming government.
The ministry’s clarifications come amid increasing US warnings against selecting al-Maliki to head the government. The US State Department affirmed that Washington’s position is “firm and resolute,” and that his selection would force Washington to reassess its relationship with Iraq.
The Coordination Framework, which includes ruling Shiite parties, is divided over al-Maliki’s nomination, and attempts are being made to persuade him to withdraw his candidacy to preserve the unity of the alliance.
The Sunni Sovereignty Alliance, led by Khamis al-Khanjar, expects al-Maliki to take the initiative to withdraw his nomination to spare the country economic sanctions.
Fahd al-Rashed, a senior figure in the Sunni alliance, told Shafaq News that al-Maliki is expected to step aside given “his concern for the country’s interests.”
“We have no objection to al-Maliki personally,” al-Rashed added, “but we fear the repercussions of US reservations over the candidate, including threats of economic sanctions.”
