Muqtada al-Sadr Urges PM-Designate Ali al-Zaidi to Exclude Armed Faction Figures From Cabinet

Peregraf — Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday called on Prime Minister-designate (PM-designate) Ali al-Zaidi to completely exclude politicians linked to armed factions from the next Iraqi cabinet.

In a statement issued on May 8, al-Sadr said the new government should avoid political quota-sharing and prevent anyone affiliated with armed groups from holding ministerial positions.

Call to Dissolve Armed Factions

Al-Sadr proposed transforming armed factions into a civilian or religious service formation under state authority, warning that groups refusing to comply should be treated as outlaws.

He also said he would be prepared to dissolve Kata'ib Yawm al-Maw'ud and hand over Saraya al-Salam to the Iraqi Commander-in-Chief if similar measures were applied universally.

Anti-Corruption and Foreign Influence

The cleric urged PM-designate Zaidi to fight corruption within 90 days, pursue those involved in the "Heist of the Century" corruption scandal, strengthen Iraq's independence from foreign influence, and expand balanced relations with Arab, Islamic, and international states.

He stressed that Iraq should be "Neither Eastern nor Western."

No Sadrist Participation in Cabinet

Al-Sadr also declared that no member of what he called al-Tayyar al-Sadri would participate in the new government, emphasizing that no minister would represent his movement.

Cabinet Formation Under Pressure

Al-Sadr's demands come as PM-designate Zaidi continues negotiations to form a cabinet amid pressure from multiple Iraqi factions and international actors.

Calls to limit the influence of armed groups within the Iraqi state have also been repeatedly raised by the United States (US) and other international partners.