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Baghdad: Barazani Meets Abadi, Hakim

Iraqi Kurdish prime minister Nechirvan Barzani speaks during a press conference in Erbil on November 13, 2017. Safin Hamed / AFP
Iraqi Kurdish prime minister Nechirvan Barzani speaks during a press conference in Erbil on November 13, 2017. Safin Hamed / AFP
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Baghdad: Barazani Meets Abadi, Hakim

Iraqi Kurdish prime minister Nechirvan Barzani speaks during a press conference in Erbil on November 13, 2017. Safin Hamed / AFP
Iraqi Kurdish prime minister Nechirvan Barzani speaks during a press conference in Erbil on November 13, 2017. Safin Hamed / AFP

Prime minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani made on Saturday a surprise visit to Baghdad where he immediately met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and Shiite cleric Ammar al-Hakim, who is head of the Hikma Front, to discuss the Iraqi government formation and the question of who will become president.

Earlier on Saturday, Iraq’s newly-elected Speaker, Mohamed al-Halbusi, was in Erbil to hold meetings with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani and security chief Masrour Barzani.

Kurdish media net Rudaw quoted the Kurdish deputy speaker Bashir al-Haddad as saying Halbousi, with his two deputies of the parliament, "intends to visit political parties (across Iraq)."

They want to "bring together different parties and commit to the constitutional deadlines for the election of the President and Prime Minister of the republic," Haddad noted.

A high-ranking source, who wished to remain anonymous, said Halbousi’s visit was in response to the invitation of the KDP party, which seeks to postpone the presidential election session scheduled for next Tuesday, Sept. 25, because it coincides with last year’s referendum vote on the constitution.

In Iraq, the president should be from the Kurds, the speaker from the Sunnis and the prime minister from the Shiites.

The deadline for candidates to submit their nomination for the presidency is Sept. 22.

Parliament is scheduled to meet next Tuesday, Sept. 25, to elect the president from among the candidates by a two-thirds majority of its members.

Currently, the KDP plans to name its own candidate for the Iraqi presidency, after refusing to endorse the nomination of Barham Salih by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

Media outlets predicted that the party would support the candidacy of Hoshyar Zebari, a KDP politburo member and a former Iraqi minister.

In this case, seven candidates would compete next Tuesday on the presidential post as the country is still without a government, months after holding parliamentary elections on May 12.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.