Sadr, Barzani Seeking Alliance to Lead New Iraq Govt

Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)
Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)
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Sadr, Barzani Seeking Alliance to Lead New Iraq Govt

Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)
Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)

Iraqi parties are scrambling to forge new alliances that may create changes in the current political arena or at least revive old partnerships as the country edges closer to holding early parliamentary elections in October.

The instability in the country may, however, force the postponement of the elections. This possibility has not impeded the parties, which are preparing themselves to both hold the elections on time or bracing for their delay to their constitutional date of May 2022.

Amid these preparations, a delegation from the Sadr movement held talks in Erbil this week with head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masoud Barzani and President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani. The delegation was led by Nasar al-Rubaye, head of the movement's political body.

The surprise meeting between the largest Shiite party, the Sadrist movement, and largest Kurdish party, the (KDP), may pave the way for an alliance that may upend the political scene in Iraq. Whoever joins the alliance will have the upper hand in the formation of the new government after the polls.

The Sadrists are expected to emerge as victors in the elections, and therefore hold sway over the formation of the government or appointment of a prime minister, who does not necessarily have to be a member of their movement.

Beyond the government level, a Sadrist-Kurdish alliance may hold sway over the three presidencies (president, prime minister and parliament speaker) in Iraq. According to the 2003 constitution, the president is always a Kurdish figure, the speaker is always a Sunni Arab and prime minister a Shiite.

If influential Shiite and Sunni figures join the potential Sadrist-KDP alliance, then they may control who is named to the three presidencies, regardless of their sect, confirmed observers.

To clarify, they cited Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, leader of the largest Sunni bloc in the western provinces, openly speaking of the desire of Sunni Arabs to assume the presidency. In return, the position of parliament speaker would be occupied by a Kurdish figure.

The sticking point would be persuading the two major Kurdish parties in the Kurdistan Region – the KDP in Erbil and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Sulaymaniyah – to agree to the switch before even agreeing with Baghdad on the issue.

More time, however, is needed for alliances to take shape.

Another noticeable development, was head of the Hikma movement, Ammar al-Hakim’s visit to the disputed Kirkuk province. His movement does not hold sway in the province, which is predominantly Kurdish and Turkmen with a Christian minority, but he may be attempting to garner its support during the polls.



Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
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Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is unwilling to pursue peace in Syria and warned that Israel’s efforts to spread war across the Middle East are undermining the environment fostered by the Astana Process.

Fidan emphasized the importance of Russian and Iranian efforts within the framework of the Astana Process to maintain calm on the ground, pointing to ongoing consultations with the US regarding the Syrian crisis.

Speaking during a parliamentary session discussing the 2025 budget of the Foreign Ministry, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s expectation that the dialogue proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be approached strategically by the Syrian government, with priority given to the interests of the Syrian people.

Regarding Erdogan’s invitation to Assad for a meeting to discuss the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus, Fidan remarked that the matter depends on political will, stressing that the Turkish president has demonstrated his readiness at the highest level.

Last week, Erdogan reiterated the possibility of a meeting with Assad, but Russia, which mediates the normalization talks between Ankara and Damascus, ruled out such a meeting or high-level engagements in the near future.

Russian Presidential Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev attributed the impasse to Türkiye’s refusal to meet Damascus’ demand for a withdrawal from northern Syria, accusing Ankara of acting as an “occupying state”.

Although Türkiye has not officially responded to Lavrentiev’s comments, which reflect a shift in Russia’s stance, Fidan stated in a televised interview last week that Russia remains “somewhat neutral” regarding the normalization process. He also urged the Syrian government to create conditions for the return of 10 million Syrian refugees.

Türkiye maintains that its military presence in northern Syria prevents the country’s division, blocks the establishment of a “terror corridor” along its southern border, and deters new waves of refugees from entering its territory.

Fidan outlined his country’s key objectives in Syria, which include eradicating terrorist groups (such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Syrian Democratic Forces), preserving Syria’s territorial unity, advancing the political process, and ensuring the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, Turkish artillery targeted villages and positions controlled by the Manbij Military Council, affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose main component is the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

On Friday, fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian National Army factions and the SDF in western Tel Abyad, northern Raqqa. Simultaneously, Turkish artillery strikes reportedly killed two SDF members and injured others, with reports of captives and missing personnel.

In retaliation, the SDF shelled Turkish bases in the Ain Issa countryside. Turkish forces responded by deploying military reinforcements amid heightened alert at their bases in Raqqa’s countryside, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).