Iran Backs Election of New Iraqi Premier
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the legal procedure in which the Iraqi prime minister has been elected.
“The legal frameworks determined in Iraq’s constitution are the basis for the election of the prime minister by the majority bloc in Iraq’s national parliament,” said Ali Shamkhani.
The Iranian official urged all Iraqi political groups to maintain national unity in order to preserve national interests. He also called on them to stick to the rule of law and consider the country’s critical situation in order to counter foreign threats.
Shamkhani also highlighted the role of religious leadership in Iraq, describing it as a strong pillar in maintaining unity in the face of recent security crisis in the Arab country.
The Iraqi President Fouad Massoum on Monday officially commissioned Haider al-Abadi, the Shiite coalition's nominee for prime minister, to form the next government.
Massoum refused to nominate the country's two-time Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for a third term in office.
Maliki has resisted calls to drop his bid to lead the country. He gave a tough speech on television indicating he would not cave in to pressure.
Iraq's highest court has also ruled that he could retain his position because his bloc is the biggest in the country's parliament, according to state television.