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Abbas Chairs Meeting to Discuss Final Decision on Holding Elections

The arrival of representatives of "Hamas" to register their electoral list in Gaza, last month (Reuters)
The arrival of representatives of "Hamas" to register their electoral list in Gaza, last month (Reuters)
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Abbas Chairs Meeting to Discuss Final Decision on Holding Elections

The arrival of representatives of "Hamas" to register their electoral list in Gaza, last month (Reuters)
The arrival of representatives of "Hamas" to register their electoral list in Gaza, last month (Reuters)

Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Ahmed Majdalani revealed that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will chair a meeting of the Palestinian political factions in the coming days to discuss the final options on holding legislative elections.

“There will be an expanded meeting of the leadership to assess the situation,” said Majdalani.

“As part of that assessment, we will make a decision regarding the elections,” he added.

Majdalani told the Voice of Palestine Radio that the Palestinian factions are constantly holding talks over the matter, especially regarding holding elections in Jerusalem.

“No Palestinian would accept the bartering of Jerusalem for the election. Jerusalem is a national cause,” he noted.

For his part, Abbas spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh affirmed on Wednesday that the elections will take place as scheduled.

"Nothing will change nor will there be a disruption that goes against the Palestinian interest, since these elections are a Palestinian demand and all disruptions from here or there are not worth anything."

He affirmed that all parties were exerting efforts in this regard, including the European Union.

According to Abu Rudeineh, the Palestinian leadership has not heard from the US on pressuring Israel to allow holding the elections in Jerusalem.

The Palestinians are scheduled to head to their first national vote in 15 years on May 22. However, Israel refuses to respond to the requests of holding elections in Jerusalem and recently banned electoral events in the city.

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Arab World

Al-Sudani to Bring ‘Black Box’ to Tehran

A handout picture released by the Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units at the oil refinery of Baiji. (Photo by IRAQI PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS OFFICE / AFP)
A handout picture released by the Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units at the oil refinery of Baiji. (Photo by IRAQI PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS OFFICE / AFP)
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Al-Sudani to Bring ‘Black Box’ to Tehran

A handout picture released by the Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units at the oil refinery of Baiji. (Photo by IRAQI PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS OFFICE / AFP)
A handout picture released by the Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units at the oil refinery of Baiji. (Photo by IRAQI PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS OFFICE / AFP)

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has postponed his visit to Iran until next week.

Sources say he will discuss key regional and internal issues, including the disbanding of Iran-backed militias in Iraq, and may deliver “strong warnings” from the US about restricting weapons to state control.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said the visit aims to strengthen ties and discuss regional developments. Al-Sudani will hold talks with top Iranian officials during his trip.

The Iraqi government has not confirmed or denied the reports, but concerns are rising in both Iraq and Iran.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has recently addressed issues related to the “Axis of Resistance” following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Unconfirmed reports in Baghdad say Iraq received a “warning” from US President-elect Donald Trump.

Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the National Wisdom Movement, revealed some details on Thursday. The message, which marked a shift in US policy, may have been delivered by a secret envoy or through a phone call from Trump.

Al-Hakim, a prominent figure in the Shiite Coordination Framework, confirmed that the US administration is targeting certain Iraqi armed factions.

However, he stressed that the incoming Trump administration has no intention of overthrowing the Iranian regime or destabilizing the political system in Iraq.

“A decision will be made against the factions... This is what we’ve heard from the US and some groups in the Coordination Framework with armed factions,” said al-Hakim at a gathering in Najaf, south of Baghdad.

“This is not aimed at the Coordination Framework as a political force but at Iran-backed armed factions like Kataib Hezbollah and al-Nujaba,” he clarified.

On rumors of a political change in Iraq, al-Hakim said: “This is circulating on social media, but I haven’t heard it from international or regional politicians or in talks with official delegations after the events in Syria.”

Al-Hakim also reassured that there is an “international will” to avoid targeting Iraq’s political system.

“The goal is to maintain Iraq’s stability because chaos there would disrupt regional security, which neighboring countries reject. The current system is expected to remain,” he affirmed.

With al-Hakim’s reassurance about the political system staying intact but without armed factions, all eyes are on al-Sudani’s upcoming visit to Tehran.

He is expected to carry a “black box” discussing the disbanding of militias. While the decision to limit weapons to the state is Iraqi, many militias are ideologically tied to Iran, which calls for direct talks with Tehran.