Iraqi cleric Sadr says keen on forming “national parental government”
Muqtada al-Sadr.
Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr reiterated on Tuesday his keenness on forming a national parental government, a move that could give a push to the country’s already ailing economy.
Sadr made the remarks during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Iraq Fumio Iwai in Najaf Al Ashraf city, his media office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Sadr stressed that he is “keen on forming a national parental government that could contribute to the advancement of the country and make a major shift in the general situation as a whole so as to provide decent living conditions for the Iraqi people, whatever their affiliations are.”
The two sides also tackled issues of mutual concern and steps taken to strengthen relations between the two Asian countries.
The Japanese ambassador, meanwhile, briefed Sadr on measures taken by Japanese government in the post-war era to achieve industrial and scientific progress in the country.
Al-Sadr’s Sairoon coalition won 54 parliamentary seats in the May 12 parliamentary polls, followed by an al-Hashd al-Shaabi-linked coalition (47 seats) and Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s Victory bloc (42 seats), according to the election commission.
The elections were originally scheduled for September 2017, but were delayed due to the country’s fight against Islamic State, which ended in December 2017 with the recapture of their remaining territories.