Coordination Framework deliberates on outstanding political issues

Iraq’s political scene has returned to the fore after a lull in activity during the Hajj period.

The Coordination Framework convened earlier this week to address the latest political issues, notably Nouri Al-Maliki’s calls for early elections. While the alliance did not issue a formal statement on the outcome of discussions, some of Maliki’s counterparts, including Haider Al-Abadi’s Nasr Coalition, have publicly opposed the idea. PM Sudani’s political advisor, Fadi Al-Shimari, who is aligned with Ammar Al-Hakim, also put out a tweet rejecting early elections.

Meanwhile, the Iraq Resistance Coordination, an umbrella group for the Iran-aligned armed factions in Iraq, issued a statement on Wednesday noting that they had convened an extraordinary meeting to discuss events in Iraq and the broader region. The statement emphasized that they had given the Sudani government four months to conclude the withdrawal of U.S. troops, blamed American “procrastination and obstinacy” for the ongoing standoff, and stated their readiness to use “all available means to restore security and stability, and achieve full sovereignty.”

This statement followed the U.S. administration's designation of the Iraqi resistance faction Ansar Allah Al-Awfiya as a terrorist group, accusing it of involvement in the Tower 22 attack in Jordan earlier this year.