As UN mediates- Sadrist movement demands parliament’s dissolution

Thousands of protesters answered the call to join partisan Friday prayers today despite temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius in Baghdad. In a repeat show of force, they marched towards Baghdad’s Green Zone square, raising the national flag and Muqtada al-Sadr banners. The Sadrist parliament sit in promoted their Shiite rivals in the Iran-backed Coordination Framework to say they were willing to hold new elections. Tensions erupted last week when the Coordination Framework nominated Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani for prime minister. Inter-party violence injured at least 100 protesters and 25 members of the security forces in clashes last weekend. Baghdad analyst Najm al-Qassab told A24 that al-Sadr would continue to demand the dissolution of parliament and a new round of parliamentary elections. Al-Sadr raised pressure on his opposition Wednesday by calling for the dissolving of parliament ten months after the elections gave him the largest number of seats -but not enough to build a majority government. Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, met with the leader of the Sadrist movement to overcome the political crisis at his home in Najaf. They discussed ways to clear the impasse amid speculations regarding a UN initiative being formulated by Plasschaert.