Khaberni - A well-informed political source confirmed, on Saturday, that the leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, has informed the leaders of the Shiite Coordination Framework of his decision to withdraw from running for the position of Prime Minister.
He stated that the announcement of not running came after a meeting with the acting US embassy in Baghdad, Joshua Harris, who directly conveyed the latest message from US President Donald Trump to al-Maliki, stating that the United States «will not interfere in the course of forming the Iraqi government, but will boycott the upcoming government if al-Maliki proceeds with his candidacy for Prime Minister».
The source said that al-Maliki conveyed his stance during internal consultations with the Framework's leadership, emphasizing that his decision was made «to spare the country further tensions and prevent the political process from slipping into complicated paths that could negatively reflect on political and economic stability».
He added that al-Maliki emphasized, while informing the Framework's leaders, that his decision does not mean a retreat from his political positions, but rather comes in the context of «prioritizing the supreme national interest, and paving the way for broader internal consensus that ensures the formation of a stable government capable of managing the next phase».
The source indicated that the Coordination Framework began, following this development, discussing alternative names for the Prime Minister candidate, amid efforts to reach a rapid consensus that enjoys political and national acceptance, and prevents the country from entering a constitutional vacuum or internal clashes.
There has been no official confirmation from al-Maliki regarding his withdrawal from the race for the government presidency so far.
A political meeting in a tense atmosphere
According to al-Maliki's media office, the meeting discussed the Framework's vision for the upcoming Iraqi government, in the context of internal political division and increasing external pressure.
The director of al-Maliki's media office, Hisham al-Rikabi, in a post on the platform «X», confirmed that the meeting addressed «ways to enhance bilateral relations, and the ongoing dialogues between political forces to complete the remaining presidencies, and the Framework's vision for forming the coming government».
Previously, US President Donald Trump expressed strong opposition to al-Maliki's nomination, hinting at the possibility of cutting off US aid to Iraq, and considering that al-Maliki's return represents a «grave mistake» that could lead the country into chaos and instability.
In response, al-Maliki issued a stern statement, asserting his outright rejection of what he described as «blatant US interference» in Iraq's internal affairs, considering that choosing the Prime Minister is a purely Iraqi constitutional affair, and no country has the right to influence it or impose its will on the political process.
In parallel, the source revealed that the Coordination Framework is preparing to hold an emergency meeting in the coming hours, possibly this Saturday evening, to discuss recent developments and come out with a «politically studied» united stance, taking into account the sensitivity of the stage and the nature of the US intervention.
The source pointed out that the response will not be emotional, but will be officially announced after completing internal consultations, confirming that the essence of the meeting between al-Maliki and the US acting ambassador in Baghdad exceeded the protocol framework, carrying a clear political message from the Trump administration, reflecting Washington's shift from a phase of public warning to a phase of possible political boycott.
In contrast, Kurdish sources believe that the clear US rejection of al-Maliki's nomination revealed the exaggeration in portraying the influence of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Masoud Barzani, inside Washington.
The sources clarified that Barzani's early welcoming of al-Maliki's nomination led some circles to suggest the existence of US acceptance, an image «not real» that was built, according to these sources, through widespread media support over the past years.
In a parallel context, the Iraqi Parliament announced next Sunday as the date for the presidential election session, after adjusting a previous date that was scheduled for Tuesday, as the constitutional term for this entitlement is nearing its end.constitution.
This step comes amid continuous political disagreements, especially within the Kurdish house, and with the announcement of the final list of candidates, which includes 19 political and independent personalities, which increases the complexity of the scene and doubles the pressure on political forces to reach urgent settlements.
