Muqtada Al-Sadr criticizes Trump-appointed envoy for ‘imposing dictates’

NAJAF — Muqtada Al-Sadr, leader of the Shiite National Movement, reiterated his call to boycott Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections, criticizing what he described as “imposing dictates” by the newly appointed U.S. Special Envoy Mark Savaya.

In a statement published on his X account, Sadr wrote, “I know with certainty that the decision to boycott is extremely difficult for many, but I did so only in obedience to God and His Messenger… and in support of reform and against the corruption of their enemies.”

Al-Sadr has repeatedly distanced himself from Iraq’s formal political process, most notably in June 2022 when he ordered the resignation of all 73 Sadrist lawmakers from parliament. He has since maintained a boycott of political participation, including the current election cycle.

Sadr added that he trusted his followers to remain committed to the boycott, saying, “They are like the sun and moon, obedient and persistent… They do not seek worldly gain nor wish to participate in corruption, but rather reject it.”

He added, “The homeland is too precious to be sold to the corrupt, the subservient, and those bowing to Trump’s representative who came to impose dictates upon them,” and warned against compromising by replacing one form of corruption with another. “Do not replace the most corrupt with the corrupt,” Sadr wrote.

Savaya, a Chaldean Christian of Iraqi descent, was appointed on Oct. 19 by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who described him as a Michigan-based entrepreneur with strong community ties. “Mark’s deep understanding of the Iraq-U.S. relationship, and his connections in the region, will help advance the interests of the American people,” Trump said on Truth Social.

In a recent statement, Savaya warned that Iraq’s sovereignty and progress “will remain at risk” unless all security forces operate under government command, saying that external interference and armed groups outside state control continue to threaten stability.