Asaib official says six Coordination Framework leaders oppose Maliki nomination

BAGHDAD — Hussein al-Sheyhany, a member of the political bureau of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, said objections within the Shiite Coordination Framework to Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination for prime minister have risen to six leaders, with a seventh potentially joining them.

In an interview on Iraqi News Agency television, Sheyhany said he contacted three framework leaders who had voted in favor of Maliki during a recent meeting and found they were deeply concerned about recent threats.

“They stated openly that they now hold a new view regarding Mr. Maliki’s nomination,” he said.

Sheyhany said that after reviewing the positions of those opposed to the nomination, beginning with the Sadiqoun bloc, he counted six leaders rejecting Maliki’s candidacy. “I was told a seventh would join them that night regarding the withdrawal of Mr. Maliki’s nomination,” he said.

He said the American threats included “imposing sanctions on the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Central Bank and SOMO.”

The Coordination Framework nominated Maliki as its candidate for premier following the 2025 elections. President Donald Trump warned that Washington could halt support for Iraq if Maliki returns to office. Maliki rejected the remarks as interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.

Within the Shiite political arena, positions have diverged. Asaib Ahl al-Haq, the Hikma Movement and the Nasr Coalition voiced objections or reservations regarding Maliki’s nomination. In contrast, the Badr Organization publicly supported his candidacy and rejected U.S. objections, describing the nomination as an internal Iraqi matter.

Some excerpts from Al-Sheyhany’s interview with the Iraqi News Agency:

He said he contacted three leaders within the Coordination Framework who voted in favor of Mr. Maliki during the framework meeting and found they were deeply concerned about the recent threats. They stated openly that they now hold a new view regarding Mr. Maliki’s nomination. Based on calculations he conducted of those opposing the nomination, beginning with Sadiqoun, he found six leaders who reject it, and he was told a seventh would join them that night regarding the withdrawal of Mr. Maliki’s nomination.

He said the American threats included imposing sanctions on the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Central Bank and SOMO.

He added, May God help the framework if it changes its options. There will be votes from our brothers in the State of Law Coalition, especially those close to Maliki. Today, we have moved beyond the issue of being influenced by the tweet.

He said the Kurds and Sunnis will not come to parliament to vote for a president of the republic who would then assign Mr. Maliki to form the government. Today, it is incumbent upon Mr. Maliki, whom we respect, to fear God regarding the Iraqi people — and he is worthy of that.

He questioned why Sunnis and Kurds are criticized for being influenced by the American decision, while Shia are not criticized when they are sometimes influenced and take pride in the blessing that comes from Iran. He added that if there were an explicit prohibition from Iran — far be it from Iran to do so — similar to Trump’s tweet, they would certainly be influenced.