Iraq will never be the same after weeks of demonstrations demanding sweeping reform, its top Shia cleric said on Friday in his most emphatic endorsement yet of the protest movement.

Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said authorities must respond quickly to the demands of the protesters who have thronged Baghdad and cities across the mainly Shia youth since early October in an outpouring of anger over rampant corruption and lack of jobs.

"If those in power think that they can evade the benefits of real reform by stalling and procrastination, they are delusional," Sistani said in his weekly sermon, delivered by a representative in the Shia holy city of Karbala.

"What comes after these protests will not be the same as before, and they should be aware of that."

The demonstrations swiftly escalated with demands for root-and-branch reform of the political system.&nbsp;

Sistani cautiously backed the protests when they began but has since firmed up his backing, describing protests on Friday as "the honourable way" to seek change.

Sistani remains hugely influential in the Shia majority south.

In the protest hotspot of Kut, crowds swelled after his sermon, an AFP correspondent reported.

But those camped out in the capital's main protest camp in Tahrir (Liberation) Square demanded more from the Shia religious leadership or marjaiyah.&nbsp;

"Where is the marjaiyah? Does it only deliver sermons and speeches?" asked one protester angrily, an Iraqi tricolour draped over his shoulders.

UN, Sistani pile pressure

More than 330 people have died since the rallies erupted, making them the deadliest grassroots movement to hit Iraq in years.

They present the biggest threat so far to the political system ushered in by the US-led invasion which toppled the Sunni-dominated regime of longtime dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The political establishment has closed ranks, rejecting the protesters' demands for the government to step down.

That consensus was brokered by neighbouring Iran's pointman for Iraq, senior Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Qasem Soleimani.&nbsp;

Sistani, who is based in the Shia holy city of Najaf and never appears in public, denies being party to the deal and has warned outside powers against "imposing" anything on Iraq.

Days later, he met the United Nations' top official in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, to back her phased roadmap for tackling the crisis.

The plan calls for electoral reforms within two weeks followed by constitutional amendments and infrastructure legislation within three months.

'One of boldest moves yet'

On Friday, Sistani urged lawmakers to "work quickly to pass a fair electoral law that would restore people's faith in the electoral process".&nbsp;

"Passing a law that does not provide this opportunity to voters would not be acceptable or useful," he said.

Parliament received a draft of a new electoral law this week but has yet to begin debating it.

A source with close ties to the Shia religious leadership told AFP that Iranian delegates Tehran had tried to deliver a letter to Sistani asking him to back the government and tell protesters to leave the streets.

Sistani "refused to answer the letter or even receive them," but he did meet with Soleimani, the source said.

"Qasem Soleimani heard some tough words from the marjaiyah about the Iranian role in the Iraqi crisis," he added.

The revered cleric is usually much less involved in politics, said Carnegie senior fellow Harith Hasan.&nbsp;

"That is why his latest words on the protests revealed how seriously he perceived the current situation in Iraq," Hasan said.&nbsp;

"By more clearly siding with the protesters, Sistani made one of his boldest moves yet, the outcome of which may determine the balance of power within the Shia community and Iraqi politics for years to come."

Iraq will never be the same after weeks of demonstrations demanding sweeping reform, its top Shia cleric said on Friday in his most emphatic endorsement yet of the protest movement.

Iraq will never be the same after weeks of demonstrations demanding sweeping reform, its top Shia cleric said on Friday in his most emphatic endorsement yet of the protest movement. Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said authorities must respond quickly to the demands of the protesters who have thronged Baghdad and cities across the mainly Shia youth since early October in an outpouring of anger over rampant corruption and lack of jobs. "If those in power think that they can evade the benefits of real reform by stalling and procrastination, they are delusional," Sistani said in his weekly sermon, delivered by a representative in the Shia holy city of Karbala. "What comes after these protests will not be the same as before, and they should be aware of that." The demonstrations swiftly escalated with demands for root-and-branch reform of the political system. Sistani cautiously backed the protests when they began but has since firmed up his backing, describing protests on Friday as "the honourable way" to seek change. Sistani remains hugely influential in the Shia majority south. In the protest hotspot of Kut, crowds swelled after his sermon, an AFP correspondent reported. But those camped out in the capital's main protest camp in Tahrir (Liberation) Square demanded more from the Shia religious leadership or marjaiyah. "Where is the marjaiyah? Does it only deliver sermons and speeches?" asked one protester angrily, an Iraqi tricolour draped over his shoulders. UN, Sistani pile pressure More than 330 people have died since the rallies erupted, making them the deadliest grassroots movement to hit Iraq in years. They present the biggest threat so far to the political system ushered in by the US-led invasion which toppled the Sunni-dominated regime of longtime dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. The political establishment has closed ranks, rejecting the protesters' demands for the government to step down. That consensus was brokered by neighbouring Iran's pointman for Iraq, senior Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Qasem Soleimani. Sistani, who is based in the Shia holy city of Najaf and never appears in public, denies being party to the deal and has warned outside powers against "imposing" anything on Iraq. Days later, he met the United Nations' top official in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, to back her phased roadmap for tackling the crisis. The plan calls for electoral reforms within two weeks followed by constitutional amendments and infrastructure legislation within three months. 'One of boldest moves yet' On Friday, Sistani urged lawmakers to "work quickly to pass a fair electoral law that would restore people's faith in the electoral process". "Passing a law that does not provide this opportunity to voters would not be acceptable or useful," he said. Parliament received a draft of a new electoral law this week but has yet to begin debating it. A source with close ties to the Shia religious leadership told AFP that Iranian delegates Tehran had tried to deliver a letter to Sistani asking him to back the government and tell protesters to leave the streets. Sistani "refused to answer the letter or even receive them," but he did meet with Soleimani, the source said. "Qasem Soleimani heard some tough words from the marjaiyah about the Iranian role in the Iraqi crisis," he added. The revered cleric is usually much less involved in politics, said Carnegie senior fellow Harith Hasan. "That is why his latest words on the protests revealed how seriously he perceived the current situation in Iraq," Hasan said. "By more clearly siding with the protesters, Sistani made one of his boldest moves yet, the outcome of which may determine the balance of power within the Shia community and Iraqi politics for years to come."

After weeks of protests, top Shia cleric says, 'Iraq will never be same'

Anti-government rallies swelled in Iraq's capital and south Wednesday as Baghdad faced new pressure from both the street and the United Nations to respond seriously to weeks of demonstrations.&nbsp;

Protests demanding a new leadership have rocked the capital and Shiite-majority south for weeks, the crowds undeterred by government pledges of reform and the deaths of more than 300 people.

They dimmed for a few days following a deadly crackdown by security forces in Baghdad and major southern cities but flared again Wednesday with demonstrations by striking students and teachers.

"We're here to back the protesters and their legitimate demands, which include teachers' rights," said Aqeel Atshan, a professor on strike in Baghdad's Tahrir (Liberation) Square, the epicentre of the protest movement.

In the southern port city of Basra, around 800 students returned to camp outside the provincial government headquarters days after they had been pushed out by riot police.

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Schools were also shut in the protest hotspots of Diwaniyah and Nasiriyah.

Protesters have felt revived after the country's top Shiite religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said they "cannot go home without sufficient reforms".

"Students, boys and girls alike, are all here for a sit-in," another demonstrator in Tahrir told AFP.

"If Sistani gave the orders for mass civil disobedience, everything would close -- the government, the oil companies, everything. That's how we'll have a solution."

Sadr changes tune?

Iraq's parliament will meet on Wednesday afternoon to hear from the head of the United Nations' mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.

She will address the main political blocs and brief lawmakers on her meeting with Sistani, who in a significant move backed a UN roadmap out of the crisis.

Hennis-Plasschaert's proposal calls for an immediate end to violence, electoral reform and anti-graft measures within two weeks followed by constitutional amendments and infrastructure legislation within three months.

Oil-rich Iraq is ranked the 12th most corrupt country in the world by Transparency International, and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent.

Demonstrations erupted on October 1 in fury over a lack of jobs and corruption, initially fracturing the ruling class.

Populist cleric Moqtada Sadr called on the government to resign and President Barham Saleh suggested early elections, while other factions stood by Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi.&nbsp;

But after a series of meetings led by Iran's influential Major General Qasem Soleimani, a consensus emerged at the weekend over the government remaining intact and both Saleh and Sadr appear to have changed their tunes.

Sadr, who is reported to be in Iran, took to Twitter on Wednesday to call on parliament to enact reforms and for "a general strike, even for one day," but did not demand the premier step down.

Saleh, too, appears to have dropped the idea of early elections.&nbsp;

'Deplored death toll'

The agreement brokered by Soleimani appeared to pave the way for a crackdown on demonstrations over the weekend that sent the death toll from protests to well over 300.

Iraq has faced growing criticism over its response to rallies, with rights defenders accusing authorities of shooting live rounds at protesters and curtailing freedom of expression with an internet blackout and mass arrests.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he spoke to Abdel Mahdi by phone late Tuesday and "deplored the death toll among the protesters as a result of the Government of Iraq's crackdown and use of lethal force".&nbsp;

"I called on him to protect the protesters and to address their legitimate grievances," Pompeo said.&nbsp;

Also on Wednesday, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, was in Baghdad to meet with the premier, president and speaker of parliament.&nbsp;

Barzani and Abdel Mahdi are believed to have good personal ties, and the Iraqi Kurdish authorities have backed the current government.&nbsp;

But they have worried that any amendments to Iraq's 2005 constitution as part of a reform process would infringe on Kurdish rights.

Anti-government rallies swelled in Iraq's capital and south Wednesday as Baghdad faced new pressure from both the street and the United Nations to respond seriously to weeks of demonstrations.

Anti-government rallies swelled in Iraq's capital and south Wednesday as Baghdad faced new pressure from both the street and the United Nations to respond seriously to weeks of demonstrations. Protests demanding a new leadership have rocked the capital and Shiite-majority south for weeks, the crowds undeterred by government pledges of reform and the deaths of more than 300 people. They dimmed for a few days following a deadly crackdown by security forces in Baghdad and major southern cities but flared again Wednesday with demonstrations by striking students and teachers. "We're here to back the protesters and their legitimate demands, which include teachers' rights," said Aqeel Atshan, a professor on strike in Baghdad's Tahrir (Liberation) Square, the epicentre of the protest movement. In the southern port city of Basra, around 800 students returned to camp outside the provincial government headquarters days after they had been pushed out by riot police. × Schools were also shut in the protest hotspots of Diwaniyah and Nasiriyah. Protesters have felt revived after the country's top Shiite religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said they "cannot go home without sufficient reforms". "Students, boys and girls alike, are all here for a sit-in," another demonstrator in Tahrir told AFP. "If Sistani gave the orders for mass civil disobedience, everything would close -- the government, the oil companies, everything. That's how we'll have a solution." Sadr changes tune? Iraq's parliament will meet on Wednesday afternoon to hear from the head of the United Nations' mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. She will address the main political blocs and brief lawmakers on her meeting with Sistani, who in a significant move backed a UN roadmap out of the crisis. Hennis-Plasschaert's proposal calls for an immediate end to violence, electoral reform and anti-graft measures within two weeks followed by constitutional amendments and infrastructure legislation within three months. Oil-rich Iraq is ranked the 12th most corrupt country in the world by Transparency International, and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent. Demonstrations erupted on October 1 in fury over a lack of jobs and corruption, initially fracturing the ruling class. Populist cleric Moqtada Sadr called on the government to resign and President Barham Saleh suggested early elections, while other factions stood by Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. But after a series of meetings led by Iran's influential Major General Qasem Soleimani, a consensus emerged at the weekend over the government remaining intact and both Saleh and Sadr appear to have changed their tunes. Sadr, who is reported to be in Iran, took to Twitter on Wednesday to call on parliament to enact reforms and for "a general strike, even for one day," but did not demand the premier step down. Saleh, too, appears to have dropped the idea of early elections. 'Deplored death toll' The agreement brokered by Soleimani appeared to pave the way for a crackdown on demonstrations over the weekend that sent the death toll from protests to well over 300. Iraq has faced growing criticism over its response to rallies, with rights defenders accusing authorities of shooting live rounds at protesters and curtailing freedom of expression with an internet blackout and mass arrests. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he spoke to Abdel Mahdi by phone late Tuesday and "deplored the death toll among the protesters as a result of the Government of Iraq's crackdown and use of lethal force". "I called on him to protect the protesters and to address their legitimate grievances," Pompeo said. Also on Wednesday, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, was in Baghdad to meet with the premier, president and speaker of parliament. Barzani and Abdel Mahdi are believed to have good personal ties, and the Iraqi Kurdish authorities have backed the current government. But they have worried that any amendments to Iraq's 2005 constitution as part of a reform process would infringe on Kurdish rights.

Iraq demonstrations flare as Baghdad faces renewed pressure

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi "deplored the death toll" among protesters due to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqis-struggle-to-continue-protests-after-deadly-crackdown-by-authorities-261169">crackdown of the Iraqi government</a> and urged him to take immediate steps to address demonstrators' demands, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Tuesday.

Iraqi security forces on Monday shot dead two protesters in the city of Nassiriya, bringing to 300 the number of people killed since protests against political corruption, unemployment and poor public services erupted in Baghdad on October&nbsp;1 and spread to the southern Shi'ite heartlands.

"The Secretary deplored the death toll among the protesters as a result of the Government of Iraq’s crackdown and use of lethal force, as well as the reports of kidnapped protesters," Ortagus said in a statement.

The government has failed to find an answer to the unrest among mostly unemployed young people who see no improvement in their lives even in peacetime after decades of war and sanctions.

"Secretary Pompeo emphasized that peaceful public demonstrations are a fundamental element of all democracies," Ortagus said and added that Pompeo urged Mahdi to address the protesters’ grievances by enacting reforms and tackling corruption.

The unrest is the biggest and most complex challenge to the Iraqi political order since the government declared victory over Islamic State two years ago.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi "deplored the death toll" among protesters due to the crackdown of the Iraqi government and urged him to take immediate steps to address demonstrators' demands, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi "deplored the death toll" among protesters due to the crackdown of the Iraqi government and urged him to take immediate steps to address demonstrators' demands, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Tuesday. Iraqi security forces on Monday shot dead two protesters in the city of Nassiriya, bringing to 300 the number of people killed since protests against political corruption, unemployment and poor public services erupted in Baghdad on October 1 and spread to the southern Shi'ite heartlands. "The Secretary deplored the death toll among the protesters as a result of the Government of Iraq’s crackdown and use of lethal force, as well as the reports of kidnapped protesters," Ortagus said in a statement. The government has failed to find an answer to the unrest among mostly unemployed young people who see no improvement in their lives even in peacetime after decades of war and sanctions. "Secretary Pompeo emphasized that peaceful public demonstrations are a fundamental element of all democracies," Ortagus said and added that Pompeo urged Mahdi to address the protesters’ grievances by enacting reforms and tackling corruption. The unrest is the biggest and most complex challenge to the Iraqi political order since the government declared victory over Islamic State two years ago.

Pompeo 'deplored' protests' death toll in phone call with Iraqi PM: US State Department

About 90,000 barrels of crude oil meant for export were trapped at a northern Iraq field on Thursday because transport routes were cut by protests, an industry source told AFP.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-security-forces-break-up-protests-in-baghdads-main-bridges-260396">Anti-government demonstrations</a> have rocked Iraq's capital and its south, with sit-ins increasingly targeting main roads and state infrastructure, including oil fields, in OPEC's second-biggest producer.

The Qayyarah field in northern Iraq produces 30,000 barrels per day of crude oil that is trucked to the southern port of Basra to be exported, but sit-ins have sealed off some of those roads.

A senior source at the North Oil Company, which manages the Qayyarah field, told AFP on Thursday that trucks were unable to carry out that journey for a third consecutive day.

"These trucks usually transport the oil daily, but have been unable to do so since Tuesday because of what's happening in Basra," the source said.

"I don't know when it will resume as it depends on the situation stabilising and the roads being reopened."

Iraq is the fifth-largest oil exporter worldwide, sending around 3.4 million bpd out from its Basra port.

A vast majority of that oil is transported across the country via pipeline, and Qayyarah is one of the rare fields that sends its crude by truck.

The government's budget is funded almost exclusively by oil revenues and analysts have said a hit to exports could be "disastrous" for the country.

Despite Iraq's vast oil wealth, one in five people lives in poverty and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent, according to the World Bank.

That staggering inequality contributed to the initial wave of anti-government <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/iraqs-wave-of-protests-its-roots-and-how-to-begin-fixing-it-258108">protests that erupted</a> on October 1.

In the south, protesters this week have shut down the access route to the Dhi Qar oil company and the Shanafiyah refinery in Diwaniyah, according to AFP correspondents.

A sit-in has also cut the road to the Umm Qasr port, which brings in most food and medical imports through Basra, but it reopened on Thursday.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Iraq's embattled premier Adel Abdel Mahdi said security forces "will not allow" protesters to get near key infrastructure.

About 90,000 barrels of crude oil meant for export were trapped at a northern Iraq field on Thursday because transport routes were cut by protests, an industry source told AFP.

About 90,000 barrels of crude oil meant for export were trapped at a northern Iraq field on Thursday because transport routes were cut by protests, an industry source told AFP. Anti-government demonstrations have rocked Iraq's capital and its south, with sit-ins increasingly targeting main roads and state infrastructure, including oil fields, in OPEC's second-biggest producer. The Qayyarah field in northern Iraq produces 30,000 barrels per day of crude oil that is trucked to the southern port of Basra to be exported, but sit-ins have sealed off some of those roads. A senior source at the North Oil Company, which manages the Qayyarah field, told AFP on Thursday that trucks were unable to carry out that journey for a third consecutive day. "These trucks usually transport the oil daily, but have been unable to do so since Tuesday because of what's happening in Basra," the source said. "I don't know when it will resume as it depends on the situation stabilising and the roads being reopened." Iraq is the fifth-largest oil exporter worldwide, sending around 3.4 million bpd out from its Basra port. A vast majority of that oil is transported across the country via pipeline, and Qayyarah is one of the rare fields that sends its crude by truck. The government's budget is funded almost exclusively by oil revenues and analysts have said a hit to exports could be "disastrous" for the country. Despite Iraq's vast oil wealth, one in five people lives in poverty and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent, according to the World Bank. That staggering inequality contributed to the initial wave of anti-government protests that erupted on October 1. In the south, protesters this week have shut down the access route to the Dhi Qar oil company and the Shanafiyah refinery in Diwaniyah, according to AFP correspondents. A sit-in has also cut the road to the Umm Qasr port, which brings in most food and medical imports through Basra, but it reopened on Thursday. On Wednesday, a spokesman for Iraq's embattled premier Adel Abdel Mahdi said security forces "will not allow" protesters to get near key infrastructure.

Iraq crude stuck at field for third day as protests cut roads

"I'm sorry, I can't let you through without orders," said the Iraqi civilian manning the makeshift checkpoint, smirking at the befuddled policeman he had waved down in the capital Baghdad.

After a month of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-security-forces-break-up-protests-in-baghdads-main-bridges-260396">defying official curfews</a> and road closures to protest, Iraqis have flipped the rule book.

One recent evening, police officers erected a row of concrete t-walls on the same street, sealing off access to Tahrir Square, ground zero for protests in the capital.

Demonstrators, one riding a motorised red rickshaw known as a tuk-tuk, sprung into action, chasing down the police.

The tuk-tuk came to a screeching halt in front of the truck, blocking its exit as young Iraqi men pressured officers to reopen the road to Tahrir.

Improbably, the officers relented, and the enormous truck reversed up the road to lift the barriers as the victorious tuk-tuk followed.

Protesters swiftly hung a sign nearby: "Re-opened by order of the people!"

Demonstrations broke out on October 1 in outrage over rampant corruption and unemployment. They were met with a violent crackdown that left dozens dead.

Since resuming later last month, the protests have shifted to campaigns of non-violent resistance.

Across the country's south, Iraqis are carrying out sit-ins at schools, on highways and main bridges, and near government buildings.

"No country? No class!" is the new slogan for thousands of Iraqi university students and school children refusing to go back to class until they see sweeping reforms.

The teachers' syndicate has extended its strike, despite threats from officials that protesting students or staff would face legal consequences.

Most official administrations have been shut in large cities, with large banners also proclaiming the newfound authority: "Closed by order of the people!"

In Diwaniyah, 200 kilometres (130 miles) south of Baghdad, the government's provincial headquarters has literally become a dump.

The building has been shuttered since protesters stormed it last month, and now rubbish trucks and residents add daily to the growing piles of trash there.

And in Rumaitha, the southern town known for sparking Iraq's 1920 revolution against the British mandate, residents are giving the government a taste of its own medicine.

At the heart of a recent demonstration there, a protester grabbed a megaphone and cleared his throat.

"We are declaring a curfew on all government employees and vehicles, and the closing of all party headquarters!" he declared, as people cheered all around him.

Cities and towns across the south have imposed curfews in an attempt to clamp down on protests, but as the movement drags on, residents are increasingly ignoring the restrictions.

In Baghdad, the military announced last week it would begin imposing a nightly curfew from midnight until 6:00 AM.

That evening saw the largest protests yet in Tahrir, as streams of people defied the order and declared their opposition to the government.

They have remained camped in the square, setting up tents and occupying an 18-storey building long known as "the Turkish restaurant". Now it is called, among other names, "Revolution Mountain."

From there, young men watch the crowds gathering in Tahrir and along the key Al-Jumhuriyah bridge leading into the Green Zone.

Riot police have set up barricades along the bridge to keep protesters from entering the enclave, where government offices and embassies are located.

For those watching from above, their perch provided them a rare opportunity to monitor, and mock, security forces.

"Welcome to the morning shift!" they call out over loudspeakers to the fully-equipped police units below, before blaring Arabic love ballads typically heard on morning radio in Iraq.

Down below, protesters hand out fake Iraqi identity cards, where the nationality is listed as "Honorable Iraqi," and profession as "peaceful protester".

Beyond the jokes, the demonstrations have taken on a more serious tone in recent days. Groups hold discussions on politics and economics, even debating the constitution, article by article.

Some advocate for a return to a presidential system, others even say Iraq needs a dictator.

But they are united in condemning the current system.

"The competent people, they're over here in Tahrir, not over there," one protester said, gesturing towards the Green Zone.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you through without orders," said the Iraqi civilian manning the makeshift checkpoint, smirking at the befuddled policeman he had waved down in the capital Baghdad.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you through without orders," said the Iraqi civilian manning the makeshift checkpoint, smirking at the befuddled policeman he had waved down in the capital Baghdad. After a month of defying official curfews and road closures to protest, Iraqis have flipped the rule book. One recent evening, police officers erected a row of concrete t-walls on the same street, sealing off access to Tahrir Square, ground zero for protests in the capital. Demonstrators, one riding a motorised red rickshaw known as a tuk-tuk, sprung into action, chasing down the police. The tuk-tuk came to a screeching halt in front of the truck, blocking its exit as young Iraqi men pressured officers to reopen the road to Tahrir. Improbably, the officers relented, and the enormous truck reversed up the road to lift the barriers as the victorious tuk-tuk followed. Protesters swiftly hung a sign nearby: "Re-opened by order of the people!" Demonstrations broke out on October 1 in outrage over rampant corruption and unemployment. They were met with a violent crackdown that left dozens dead. Since resuming later last month, the protests have shifted to campaigns of non-violent resistance. Across the country's south, Iraqis are carrying out sit-ins at schools, on highways and main bridges, and near government buildings. "No country? No class!" is the new slogan for thousands of Iraqi university students and school children refusing to go back to class until they see sweeping reforms. The teachers' syndicate has extended its strike, despite threats from officials that protesting students or staff would face legal consequences. Most official administrations have been shut in large cities, with large banners also proclaiming the newfound authority: "Closed by order of the people!" In Diwaniyah, 200 kilometres (130 miles) south of Baghdad, the government's provincial headquarters has literally become a dump. The building has been shuttered since protesters stormed it last month, and now rubbish trucks and residents add daily to the growing piles of trash there. And in Rumaitha, the southern town known for sparking Iraq's 1920 revolution against the British mandate, residents are giving the government a taste of its own medicine. At the heart of a recent demonstration there, a protester grabbed a megaphone and cleared his throat. "We are declaring a curfew on all government employees and vehicles, and the closing of all party headquarters!" he declared, as people cheered all around him. Cities and towns across the south have imposed curfews in an attempt to clamp down on protests, but as the movement drags on, residents are increasingly ignoring the restrictions. In Baghdad, the military announced last week it would begin imposing a nightly curfew from midnight until 6:00 AM. That evening saw the largest protests yet in Tahrir, as streams of people defied the order and declared their opposition to the government. They have remained camped in the square, setting up tents and occupying an 18-storey building long known as "the Turkish restaurant". Now it is called, among other names, "Revolution Mountain." From there, young men watch the crowds gathering in Tahrir and along the key Al-Jumhuriyah bridge leading into the Green Zone. Riot police have set up barricades along the bridge to keep protesters from entering the enclave, where government offices and embassies are located. For those watching from above, their perch provided them a rare opportunity to monitor, and mock, security forces. "Welcome to the morning shift!" they call out over loudspeakers to the fully-equipped police units below, before blaring Arabic love ballads typically heard on morning radio in Iraq. Down below, protesters hand out fake Iraqi identity cards, where the nationality is listed as "Honorable Iraqi," and profession as "peaceful protester". Beyond the jokes, the demonstrations have taken on a more serious tone in recent days. Groups hold discussions on politics and economics, even debating the constitution, article by article. Some advocate for a return to a presidential system, others even say Iraq needs a dictator. But they are united in condemning the current system. "The competent people, they're over here in Tahrir, not over there," one protester said, gesturing towards the Green Zone.

Blocking police at checkpoints, Iraqis revel in people power

Three protesters were shot dead overnight during a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/student-strikes-street-closures-in-iraq-protests-259668">demonstration outside the Iranian consulate</a> in Iraq's holy city of Karbala, the head of the forensics department there told AFP on Monday.

Security forces in Karbala fired live ammunition to disperse protesters trying to scale the walls of the consulate in the southern city and torch it.

AFP correspondents witnessed protesters left motionless after suffering gunshot wounds, and the forensic medicine department later confirmed three people died.

More than 250 people have lost their lives since anti-government rallies broke out in Iraq on October 1, but officials have stopped providing casualty numbers.

In Karbala late Sunday, protesters hung Iraqi flags on the concrete blocks surrounding the imposing Iranian consulate and spray-painted "Karbala is free, Iran out, out!" on them.

Others threw rocks or shot fireworks over the walls into the consulate, then set fire to tyres at the gates of the building as police officers looked on.&nbsp;

As the crowds grew, heavy gunfire and volleys of tear gas rang out.&nbsp;

"They're not firing up in the air. They intend to kill, not disperse," said one young protester wearing a medical mask to protect himself from the tear gas.

"They're protecting the Iranian embassy while all we want is a country. Why are they killing their own countrymen for another country?"

Iraq has close but complicated ties with its eastern neighbour Iran, with whom it fought a deadly war in the 1980s but which now has significant political and economic sway in Iraq.

Every year, millions of Iranian pilgrims travel to the holy city of Karbala, 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Baghdad, to visit the golden-domed mausoleum of Hussein, the prophet Mohammad's grandson.

But many Iraqis protesting over the past month accuse Iran of being the primary sponsor of the corrupt, inefficient system they want to overthrow.&nbsp;

Tehran, meanwhile, has sought to clamp down the protests next door, with sources reporting top commander Qassem Soleimani making several visits to "advise" Iraqi authorities on coping with the rallies.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also slammed protests in Iraq and Lebanon as conspiracies by the US and others.

Three protesters were shot dead overnight during a demonstration outside the Iranian consulate in Iraq's holy city of Karbala, the head of the forensics department there told AFP on Monday.

Three protesters were shot dead overnight during a demonstration outside the Iranian consulate in Iraq's holy city of Karbala, the head of the forensics department there told AFP on Monday. Security forces in Karbala fired live ammunition to disperse protesters trying to scale the walls of the consulate in the southern city and torch it. AFP correspondents witnessed protesters left motionless after suffering gunshot wounds, and the forensic medicine department later confirmed three people died. More than 250 people have lost their lives since anti-government rallies broke out in Iraq on October 1, but officials have stopped providing casualty numbers. In Karbala late Sunday, protesters hung Iraqi flags on the concrete blocks surrounding the imposing Iranian consulate and spray-painted "Karbala is free, Iran out, out!" on them. Others threw rocks or shot fireworks over the walls into the consulate, then set fire to tyres at the gates of the building as police officers looked on. As the crowds grew, heavy gunfire and volleys of tear gas rang out. "They're not firing up in the air. They intend to kill, not disperse," said one young protester wearing a medical mask to protect himself from the tear gas. "They're protecting the Iranian embassy while all we want is a country. Why are they killing their own countrymen for another country?" Iraq has close but complicated ties with its eastern neighbour Iran, with whom it fought a deadly war in the 1980s but which now has significant political and economic sway in Iraq. Every year, millions of Iranian pilgrims travel to the holy city of Karbala, 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Baghdad, to visit the golden-domed mausoleum of Hussein, the prophet Mohammad's grandson. But many Iraqis protesting over the past month accuse Iran of being the primary sponsor of the corrupt, inefficient system they want to overthrow. Tehran, meanwhile, has sought to clamp down the protests next door, with sources reporting top commander Qassem Soleimani making several visits to "advise" Iraqi authorities on coping with the rallies. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also slammed protests in Iraq and Lebanon as conspiracies by the US and others.

Three protesters killed in Iraq's Karbala near Iran consulate: Report

Abandoned building becomes the centre of Iraq's uprising

Tens of thousands of Iraqis thronged central Baghdad on Friday demanding the root-and-branch downfall of the political elite in the biggest day of mass anti-government demonstrations since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Iraq protests continue: Biggest protest since Saddam's fall

'Downfall of regime': Iraqis pour into streets for biggest protest day since Saddam fall

Iraq's top cleric warned foreign actors on Friday against interfering in his country's anti-government protests as they entered a second month despite pledges of reform and violence that has left over 250 dead.

The demonstrations have evolved since October 1 from rage over corruption and unemployment to demands for a total government overhaul -- shunning both politicians and religious figures along the way.

They have even condemned the influence of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary factions, who have descended into the streets of the capital and elsewhere to flex their muscles.

In his weekly sermon, top Shiite religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said Iraq must not be dragged "into the "abyss of infighting".

"No person or group, no side with a particular view, no regional or international actor may seize the will of the Iraqi people and impose its will on them," he said.

Sistani's remarks, which can usually make or break a government decision in Iraq, came a day after comments by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.&nbsp;

"I seize this opportunity to tell those who care about Iraq and Lebanon to remedy insecurity as their priority," Khamenei said, without elaborating.

Iraq has close but complicated ties with both Iran, its large eastern neighbour, and the United States, which opposes Tehran's influence in the region.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Iraqi government to "listen to the legitimate demands made by the Iraqi people," saying an official probe last month into suppression of the protests "lacked sufficient credibility".&nbsp;

Fresh clashes

More than 250 people have died and 10,000 have been wounded in the past month as protests evolved into calls for the "downfall of the regime".

The movement is unique in Iraqi history because of its condemnation of the political and religious class wholesale.&nbsp;

"No one represents the people, not Iran, not the parties, not the clerics. We want to take back our country," said Ali Ghazi, 55, protesting in Baghdad on Thursday.

"You're all thieves. From 2003 until now, what have you done?" he said, referring to the year a US-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.

Since then, Iraq's political system has been gripped by clientelism, corruption and sectarianism.

One in five Iraqis live below the poverty line and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent, despite the vast oil wealth of OPEC's second-largest crude producer.

That inequality has been a rallying cry for protesters, who have occupied the capital's Tahrir Square and spilt onto adjacent bridges.&nbsp;

As night fell on Friday, skirmishes broke out between protesters and riot police deployed along the Al-Sinek bridge, leaving several apparently severely wounded, an AFP photographer there said.&nbsp;

Riot police fired tear gas to keep protesters back, a day after Amnesty International slammed Iraqi forces for using the military-grade gas canisters in an "unprecedented" way.

Amnesty said they were being shot directly at protesters, piercing their heads and chests.

The violence in response to the protests has made them Iraq's deadliest grassroots movement for decades, with 157 dying in the first week-long outburst and another 100 losing their lives in the past week.

Parliament 'useless'

They have persisted despite a string of government proposals including hiring drives and social welfare plans.

Protesters are demanding nothing short of "the fall of the regime."&nbsp;

On Thursday night, President Barham Saleh vowed to hold early elections once a new voting law and electoral commission have been agreed.

He also said embattled Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was ready to step down once another candidate was found.

Abdel Mahdi, 77, came to power a year ago through a tenuous partnership between populist cleric Moqtada Sadr and paramilitary leader Hadi al-Ameri.

The kingmakers' alliance has frayed in recent months, as Sadr threw his weight behind the protests while Ameri and his allies backed the government.

A rapprochement built on Abdel Mahdi's ouster appeared close this week, but disagreements over a replacement and pressure by Iran seem to have caused a stalemate among parliamentary blocs.&nbsp;

Parliament has been meeting every day to pressure Abdel Mahdi to come in for questioning, but he has so far resisted.

Ameri hinted at the paralysis on Friday, saying Iraq's "parliamentary system has failed and is useless" and called for "fundamental constitutional amendments."

An Iraqi government official said that following Khamenei's comments, "Ameri did a total 180" degree turn.

Fanar Haddad, an expert at Singapore University's Middle East Institute, said the political class appeared not to see that the protests presented "the most serious challenge to the post-2003 order".

"Promises of new election laws, or the formation of constitutional reform committees and so forth fall on deaf ears," he told AFP.

"They are seen as smokescreens with which the political classes are trying to save themselves and preserve their privileges," Fanar added.

sbh/mjg/dwo

Iraq's top cleric warned foreign actors on Friday against interfering in his country's anti-government protests as they entered a second month despite pledges of reform and violence that has left over 250 dead.

Iraq's top cleric warned foreign actors on Friday against interfering in his country's anti-government protests as they entered a second month despite pledges of reform and violence that has left over 250 dead. The demonstrations have evolved since October 1 from rage over corruption and unemployment to demands for a total government overhaul -- shunning both politicians and religious figures along the way. They have even condemned the influence of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary factions, who have descended into the streets of the capital and elsewhere to flex their muscles. In his weekly sermon, top Shiite religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said Iraq must not be dragged "into the "abyss of infighting". "No person or group, no side with a particular view, no regional or international actor may seize the will of the Iraqi people and impose its will on them," he said. Sistani's remarks, which can usually make or break a government decision in Iraq, came a day after comments by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "I seize this opportunity to tell those who care about Iraq and Lebanon to remedy insecurity as their priority," Khamenei said, without elaborating. Iraq has close but complicated ties with both Iran, its large eastern neighbour, and the United States, which opposes Tehran's influence in the region. On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Iraqi government to "listen to the legitimate demands made by the Iraqi people," saying an official probe last month into suppression of the protests "lacked sufficient credibility". Fresh clashes More than 250 people have died and 10,000 have been wounded in the past month as protests evolved into calls for the "downfall of the regime". The movement is unique in Iraqi history because of its condemnation of the political and religious class wholesale. "No one represents the people, not Iran, not the parties, not the clerics. We want to take back our country," said Ali Ghazi, 55, protesting in Baghdad on Thursday. "You're all thieves. From 2003 until now, what have you done?" he said, referring to the year a US-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein. Since then, Iraq's political system has been gripped by clientelism, corruption and sectarianism. One in five Iraqis live below the poverty line and youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent, despite the vast oil wealth of OPEC's second-largest crude producer. That inequality has been a rallying cry for protesters, who have occupied the capital's Tahrir Square and spilt onto adjacent bridges. As night fell on Friday, skirmishes broke out between protesters and riot police deployed along the Al-Sinek bridge, leaving several apparently severely wounded, an AFP photographer there said. Riot police fired tear gas to keep protesters back, a day after Amnesty International slammed Iraqi forces for using the military-grade gas canisters in an "unprecedented" way. Amnesty said they were being shot directly at protesters, piercing their heads and chests. The violence in response to the protests has made them Iraq's deadliest grassroots movement for decades, with 157 dying in the first week-long outburst and another 100 losing their lives in the past week. Parliament 'useless' They have persisted despite a string of government proposals including hiring drives and social welfare plans. Protesters are demanding nothing short of "the fall of the regime." On Thursday night, President Barham Saleh vowed to hold early elections once a new voting law and electoral commission have been agreed. He also said embattled Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was ready to step down once another candidate was found. Abdel Mahdi, 77, came to power a year ago through a tenuous partnership between populist cleric Moqtada Sadr and paramilitary leader Hadi al-Ameri. The kingmakers' alliance has frayed in recent months, as Sadr threw his weight behind the protests while Ameri and his allies backed the government. A rapprochement built on Abdel Mahdi's ouster appeared close this week, but disagreements over a replacement and pressure by Iran seem to have caused a stalemate among parliamentary blocs. Parliament has been meeting every day to pressure Abdel Mahdi to come in for questioning, but he has so far resisted. Ameri hinted at the paralysis on Friday, saying Iraq's "parliamentary system has failed and is useless" and called for "fundamental constitutional amendments." An Iraqi government official said that following Khamenei's comments, "Ameri did a total 180" degree turn. Fanar Haddad, an expert at Singapore University's Middle East Institute, said the political class appeared not to see that the protests presented "the most serious challenge to the post-2003 order". "Promises of new election laws, or the formation of constitutional reform committees and so forth fall on deaf ears," he told AFP. "They are seen as smokescreens with which the political classes are trying to save themselves and preserve their privileges," Fanar added. sbh/mjg/dwo

Iraq protests enter second month, defying pledges of reform

Iraq's top cleric warns foreign actors over taking part in an anti-government protest. Watch this video to know more.

Iraq's top cleric warns foreign actors over inciting anti-government protest

Iraqi security forces killed at least 14 people in the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala overnight after opening fire on protesters, medical and security sources said, in a return to tactics denounced by the government's own internal inquiry.

At least 865 people were wounded, the sources said. Three protesters died in the southern city of Nassiriya from wounds sustained in earlier protests.

Kerbala's health department chief, however, said 122 people were injured, including 66 members of the security forces.

Kerbala's police chief denied in a statement that any protesters had been killed and said only one person had died in an unrelated criminal incident, calling footage of security forces shooting at protesters that went viral on social media fabricated and designed to "incite the street" in the city.

Thousands of Iraqis<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/defying-crackdown-thousands-of-iraqis-keep-protesting-258449"> took to the streets</a> this week in the second wave of protests against Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government and a political elite they say are corrupt and out of touch. The total death toll since the unrest started on October&nbsp;1 is now at least 250 people.

The unrest, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/iraqs-wave-of-protests-its-roots-and-how-to-begin-fixing-it-258108">driven by discontent</a> over economic hardship and deep-seated corruption, has broken nearly two years of relative stability in Iraq, which from 2003 to 2017 endured a foreign occupation, civil war and an Islamic State insurgency.

OPEC member Iraq boasts vast oil wealth, but many Iraqis live in poverty or have limited access to clean water, electricity, basic health care and education. The country is still struggling to recover from years of conflict since 2003.

Many Iraqis blame a political elite they say is subservient to one or another of Baghdad's two main allies, the United States and Iran. They say these powers use Iraq as a proxy to pursue their struggle for regional influence, without concern for the needs of ordinary people.

Despite promising reforms and ordering a broad reshuffle of the cabinet, Abdul Mahdi, whose position is increasingly precarious in the face of the stiffest challenge since he took office a year ago, has so far struggled to address the demonstrators' complaints.

A Reuters correspondent saw a convoy of anti-riot police driving towards Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on Tuesday where protesters, now joined by students, gathered for a fifth day.

A spokesman for Abdul Mahdi said on Sunday that anyone disrupting work or school days would be severely punished.

"They threatened us with our jobs, said they would cut our salaries off if we came, they can keep the salaries! Why all this blood? Why have all these young men lost their lives," said a teacher in Tahrir Square who declined to give her name.

An Iraqi government committee investigating the first wave of unrest, which took place during the first week of October, found that 149 civilians were killed because security forces used excessive force and live fire to quell protests.

Its report, which said more than 70 per cent&nbsp;of the deaths were caused by shots to the head or chest, held senior commanders responsible but stopped short of blaming the prime minister and other top officials, saying there had been no order to shoot.

Authorities committed serious human rights violations and abuses, the United Nations mission in Iraq said.

Protests stopped for two weeks before resuming on October&nbsp;25.

Security forces fired tear gas on Monday at school and university students who defied a warning from Abdul Mahdi and joined thousands in Baghdad protesting against his government.

Soldiers were seen beating high school students with batons in two Baghdad districts. A Defence Ministry statement condemned the incident and said the soldiers did not represent the Iraqi army as a whole. It did not say if they would be punished.

Populist Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who backs parliament's largest bloc and helped bring Abdul Mahdi's fragile coalition government to power, called on Monday for early elections after a curfew was announced in Baghdad.

Iraqi security forces killed at least 14 people in the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala overnight after opening fire on protesters, medical and security sources said, in a return to tactics denounced by the government's own internal inquiry.

Iraqi security forces killed at least 14 people in the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala overnight after opening fire on protesters, medical and security sources said, in a return to tactics denounced by the government's own internal inquiry. At least 865 people were wounded, the sources said. Three protesters died in the southern city of Nassiriya from wounds sustained in earlier protests. Kerbala's health department chief, however, said 122 people were injured, including 66 members of the security forces. Kerbala's police chief denied in a statement that any protesters had been killed and said only one person had died in an unrelated criminal incident, calling footage of security forces shooting at protesters that went viral on social media fabricated and designed to "incite the street" in the city. Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets this week in the second wave of protests against Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government and a political elite they say are corrupt and out of touch. The total death toll since the unrest started on October 1 is now at least 250 people. The unrest, driven by discontent over economic hardship and deep-seated corruption, has broken nearly two years of relative stability in Iraq, which from 2003 to 2017 endured a foreign occupation, civil war and an Islamic State insurgency. OPEC member Iraq boasts vast oil wealth, but many Iraqis live in poverty or have limited access to clean water, electricity, basic health care and education. The country is still struggling to recover from years of conflict since 2003. Many Iraqis blame a political elite they say is subservient to one or another of Baghdad's two main allies, the United States and Iran. They say these powers use Iraq as a proxy to pursue their struggle for regional influence, without concern for the needs of ordinary people. Despite promising reforms and ordering a broad reshuffle of the cabinet, Abdul Mahdi, whose position is increasingly precarious in the face of the stiffest challenge since he took office a year ago, has so far struggled to address the demonstrators' complaints. A Reuters correspondent saw a convoy of anti-riot police driving towards Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on Tuesday where protesters, now joined by students, gathered for a fifth day. A spokesman for Abdul Mahdi said on Sunday that anyone disrupting work or school days would be severely punished. "They threatened us with our jobs, said they would cut our salaries off if we came, they can keep the salaries! Why all this blood? Why have all these young men lost their lives," said a teacher in Tahrir Square who declined to give her name. An Iraqi government committee investigating the first wave of unrest, which took place during the first week of October, found that 149 civilians were killed because security forces used excessive force and live fire to quell protests. Its report, which said more than 70 per cent of the deaths were caused by shots to the head or chest, held senior commanders responsible but stopped short of blaming the prime minister and other top officials, saying there had been no order to shoot. Authorities committed serious human rights violations and abuses, the United Nations mission in Iraq said. Protests stopped for two weeks before resuming on October 25. Security forces fired tear gas on Monday at school and university students who defied a warning from Abdul Mahdi and joined thousands in Baghdad protesting against his government. Soldiers were seen beating high school students with batons in two Baghdad districts. A Defence Ministry statement condemned the incident and said the soldiers did not represent the Iraqi army as a whole. It did not say if they would be punished. Populist Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who backs parliament's largest bloc and helped bring Abdul Mahdi's fragile coalition government to power, called on Monday for early elections after a curfew was announced in Baghdad.

Iraqi security forces open fire on protesters, kill 14

Thousands of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/iraqs-wave-of-protests-its-roots-and-how-to-begin-fixing-it-258108">Iraqi protesters</a> stood fast in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on Sunday, defying a bloody crackdown that killed scores over the weekend and an overnight raid by security forces seeking to disperse them.

Young men had erected barricades on a bridge leading to the capital's fortified Green Zone against security forces who continued to lob tear gas canisters towards them. Medical and security sources said 77 people had been injured.

"We give you our life and blood, Iraq," they chanted.

At least <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-iraq-reaches-73-amid-protests-against-government-258336">74 Iraqis were killed</a> on Friday and Saturday and hundreds wounded as demonstrators clashed with security forces and militia groups in a second wave of this month's protests against Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government. About 231 people have been killed in October.

Despite the OPEC member country's vast oil wealth, many Iraqis live in poverty or have limited access to clean water, electricity, basic healthcare and education. Iraq is struggling to recover from years of conflict following the US-led invasion in 2003 that overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein.

Iraqis blame a political elite they say is subservient to one or other of Iraq's two main allies, the United States and Iran. Many suspect these powers use Iraq as a proxy to pursue their struggle for regional influence, without concern for the needs of ordinary people.

"I ask you Abdul Mahdi, it's been 16 years and you've done nothing. We're going from bad to worse," said Ma'azir Yas, who had wrapped herself in an Iraqi flag. "This protest is peaceful and the young men only ask for their rights: jobs and services."

Protesters were locked in a cycle on Sunday of advancing deeper into Tahrir Square and towards the Green Zone which houses government buildings, then retreating when the barrage of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-security-forces-fire-tear-gas-as-protests-linger-in-baghdad-ahead-of-parliament-session-258274"> tear gas </a>canisters became too much.

The smell of the gas was potent in all corners of the square as security forces fired it indiscriminately and directly at protesters, not into the air.

Many used creative ways to defend themselves including one protester who used a satellite dish as a shield. Tuk-tuks swarmed around, carrying injured young men to ambulances.

Young men cleaning up the square said they feared a repeat of Saturday night's crackdown by security forces, when the demonstrations in Tahrir Square were broken up with tear gas and stun grenades. Some protesters have regrouped.

Thousands also gathered in the three southern cities of Nassiriya, Hilla, and the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala.

Protesters set fire to the provincial council building's entrance in Kerbala and security forces used tear gas to disperse them. Police also used tear gas to disperse protesters in Hilla. Sunday's protests in Nassiriya were peaceful.

Iraq's elite Counter-Terrorism Service said on Sunday it had deployed in the streets of Baghdad to protect important state buildings "from undisciplined elements".

Two security sources had told Reuters on Saturday that the Service's forces in Baghdad had been told to "use all necessary measures" to end the protests against Abdul Mahdi's government.

Counter-terrorism forces beat and arrested dozens of protesters in the southern city of Nassiriya on Saturday night.

The unrest has broken nearly two years of relative stability in Iraq, which from 2003 to 2017 endured a foreign occupation, civil war and an Islamic State insurgency.

It poses the biggest challenge to Abdul Mahdi since he took office just a year ago. Despite promising reforms and ordering a broad cabinet reshuffle, he has so far struggled to address the protesters' complaints.

Political alliances backing his fragile coalition government have begun to fracture, making his position precarious.

Thousands of Iraqi protesters stood fast in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on Sunday, defying a bloody crackdown that killed scores over the weekend and an overnight raid by security forces seeking to disperse them.

Thousands of Iraqi protesters stood fast in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on Sunday, defying a bloody crackdown that killed scores over the weekend and an overnight raid by security forces seeking to disperse them. Young men had erected barricades on a bridge leading to the capital's fortified Green Zone against security forces who continued to lob tear gas canisters towards them. Medical and security sources said 77 people had been injured. "We give you our life and blood, Iraq," they chanted. At least 74 Iraqis were killed on Friday and Saturday and hundreds wounded as demonstrators clashed with security forces and militia groups in a second wave of this month's protests against Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government. About 231 people have been killed in October. Despite the OPEC member country's vast oil wealth, many Iraqis live in poverty or have limited access to clean water, electricity, basic healthcare and education. Iraq is struggling to recover from years of conflict following the US-led invasion in 2003 that overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein. Iraqis blame a political elite they say is subservient to one or other of Iraq's two main allies, the United States and Iran. Many suspect these powers use Iraq as a proxy to pursue their struggle for regional influence, without concern for the needs of ordinary people. "I ask you Abdul Mahdi, it's been 16 years and you've done nothing. We're going from bad to worse," said Ma'azir Yas, who had wrapped herself in an Iraqi flag. "This protest is peaceful and the young men only ask for their rights: jobs and services." Protesters were locked in a cycle on Sunday of advancing deeper into Tahrir Square and towards the Green Zone which houses government buildings, then retreating when the barrage of tear gas canisters became too much. The smell of the gas was potent in all corners of the square as security forces fired it indiscriminately and directly at protesters, not into the air. Many used creative ways to defend themselves including one protester who used a satellite dish as a shield. Tuk-tuks swarmed around, carrying injured young men to ambulances. Young men cleaning up the square said they feared a repeat of Saturday night's crackdown by security forces, when the demonstrations in Tahrir Square were broken up with tear gas and stun grenades. Some protesters have regrouped. Thousands also gathered in the three southern cities of Nassiriya, Hilla, and the Shi'ite holy city of Kerbala. Protesters set fire to the provincial council building's entrance in Kerbala and security forces used tear gas to disperse them. Police also used tear gas to disperse protesters in Hilla. Sunday's protests in Nassiriya were peaceful. Iraq's elite Counter-Terrorism Service said on Sunday it had deployed in the streets of Baghdad to protect important state buildings "from undisciplined elements". Two security sources had told Reuters on Saturday that the Service's forces in Baghdad had been told to "use all necessary measures" to end the protests against Abdul Mahdi's government. Counter-terrorism forces beat and arrested dozens of protesters in the southern city of Nassiriya on Saturday night. The unrest has broken nearly two years of relative stability in Iraq, which from 2003 to 2017 endured a foreign occupation, civil war and an Islamic State insurgency. It poses the biggest challenge to Abdul Mahdi since he took office just a year ago. Despite promising reforms and ordering a broad cabinet reshuffle, he has so far struggled to address the protesters' complaints. Political alliances backing his fragile coalition government have begun to fracture, making his position precarious.

Defying crackdown, Iraqis keep protesting at Tahrir Square

Students and schoolchildren hit the streets of Baghdad and southern Iraq on Monday to join escalating calls for the government to quit, defying the education minister, legal threats and even their parents.

Swathes of the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/defying-crackdown-thousands-of-iraqis-keep-protesting-258449"> country have been engulfed by protests </a>this month, with anger over unemployment and accusations of graft evolving into demands for a total political overhaul.

More than 200 people have been killed and 8,000 wounded, the majority protestors, since the movement erupted on October 1.

This week, Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi found himself under pressure from a new source: Iraqi students.&nbsp;

"No school, no classes, until the regime collapses!" boycotting students shouted on Monday in Diwaniyah, 180 kilometres (120 miles) south of the capital.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/iraqs-wave-of-protests-its-roots-and-how-to-begin-fixing-it-258108">Iraq’s wave of protests – its roots and how to begin fixing it</a>

Diwaniyah's union of universities and schools announced a ten-day strike on Monday "until the regime falls", with thousands of uniformed pupils and even professors flooding the streets.

They came out despite Higher Education Minister Qusay al-Suhail's warning on Sunday that academic life should "stay away" from protests, after around a dozen schools and universities in Baghdad had joined sweeping rallies.

A spokesman for Abdel Mahdi even threatened that any further disruption to schools would be met with "severe punishment".

But young protesters still gathered on Monday morning in the southern cities of Nasiriyah, Hillah and Basra.&nbsp;

In Kut, most government offices were shut for lack of staff.

'No nation, no class!'

In Baghdad, demonstrators gathered on campuses and in Tahrir Square.

"Qusay al-Suhail said not to come down into the streets. But we say: no nation, no class!" one student protester said.

"All we want is for the government to immediately submit its resignation. Either it resigns, or it gets ousted."

About 60 per cent of Iraq's 40-million-strong population is under the age of 25.

But youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent and one in five people live below the poverty line, despite the vast oil wealth of OPEC's second-largest crude producer.&nbsp;

Anger at inequality and accusations that government corruption was fuelling it sparked protests in Baghdad on October 1 that have since attracted growing numbers of young people.&nbsp;

On Monday, a group of three students drove up close to Tahrir Square, unloading kits and cans of Pepsi to help treat those affected by tear gas.

"It's my first day at the protests. I told my mom I'm going to class, but I came here instead!" a girl with curly hair told AFP.

In the province of Diyala, which had so far been calm, two members of the provincial council resigned in solidarity with the rallies.

Even in the holy city of Najaf, dozens of young clerics-to-be took to the streets.&nbsp;

The protests are unprecedented in recent Iraqi history for their ire at the entire political class, with some even criticising traditionally revered religious leaders.

"We want the parliament to be dissolved, a temporary government, an amended constitution and early elections under United Nations supervision," a demonstrator in Baghdad told AFP on Monday.

"That's what the people want. We don't want another solution."

Parliamentary paralysis

Abdel Mahdi has proposed a laundry list of reforms, including hiring drives, increased pensions and promises to root out corruption.

Iraqi President Barham Saleh has also held discussions with the UN on electoral reform and amendments to the 2005 constitution.

Parliament has tried to meet to discuss the protests but failed several times to reach a quorum.

Lawmakers were set to meet on Monday, but the sitting had not begun at the scheduled time of 1:00 pm (1000 GMT).

Four lawmakers resigned late on Sunday in solidarity with demonstrators, and the largest bloc has been holding an open-ended sit-in since Saturday night.

Saeroon, the bloc tied to firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr, said it was dropping its support for Abdel Mahdi.

The move has left the premier more squeezed than ever, as Saeroon was one of the two main sponsors of his government.

The other was Fatah, the political arm of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, which has said it would continue to back the central government.

Several Hashed offices have been torched in recent days in southern Iraq, prompting vows of "revenge" from its leaders.

Sadr responded Sunday, warning them: "Do not champion the corrupt. Do not repress the people."

Students and schoolchildren hit the streets of Baghdad and southern Iraq on Monday to join escalating calls for the government to quit, defying the education minister, legal threats and even their parents.

Students and schoolchildren hit the streets of Baghdad and southern Iraq on Monday to join escalating calls for the government to quit, defying the education minister, legal threats and even their parents. Swathes of the country have been engulfed by protests this month, with anger over unemployment and accusations of graft evolving into demands for a total political overhaul. More than 200 people have been killed and 8,000 wounded, the majority protestors, since the movement erupted on October 1. This week, Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi found himself under pressure from a new source: Iraqi students. "No school, no classes, until the regime collapses!" boycotting students shouted on Monday in Diwaniyah, 180 kilometres (120 miles) south of the capital. Also read: Iraq’s wave of protests – its roots and how to begin fixing it Diwaniyah's union of universities and schools announced a ten-day strike on Monday "until the regime falls", with thousands of uniformed pupils and even professors flooding the streets. They came out despite Higher Education Minister Qusay al-Suhail's warning on Sunday that academic life should "stay away" from protests, after around a dozen schools and universities in Baghdad had joined sweeping rallies. A spokesman for Abdel Mahdi even threatened that any further disruption to schools would be met with "severe punishment". But young protesters still gathered on Monday morning in the southern cities of Nasiriyah, Hillah and Basra. In Kut, most government offices were shut for lack of staff. 'No nation, no class!' In Baghdad, demonstrators gathered on campuses and in Tahrir Square. "Qusay al-Suhail said not to come down into the streets. But we say: no nation, no class!" one student protester said. "All we want is for the government to immediately submit its resignation. Either it resigns, or it gets ousted." About 60 per cent of Iraq's 40-million-strong population is under the age of 25. But youth unemployment stands at 25 per cent and one in five people live below the poverty line, despite the vast oil wealth of OPEC's second-largest crude producer. Anger at inequality and accusations that government corruption was fuelling it sparked protests in Baghdad on October 1 that have since attracted growing numbers of young people. On Monday, a group of three students drove up close to Tahrir Square, unloading kits and cans of Pepsi to help treat those affected by tear gas. "It's my first day at the protests. I told my mom I'm going to class, but I came here instead!" a girl with curly hair told AFP. In the province of Diyala, which had so far been calm, two members of the provincial council resigned in solidarity with the rallies. Even in the holy city of Najaf, dozens of young clerics-to-be took to the streets. The protests are unprecedented in recent Iraqi history for their ire at the entire political class, with some even criticising traditionally revered religious leaders. "We want the parliament to be dissolved, a temporary government, an amended constitution and early elections under United Nations supervision," a demonstrator in Baghdad told AFP on Monday. "That's what the people want. We don't want another solution." Parliamentary paralysis Abdel Mahdi has proposed a laundry list of reforms, including hiring drives, increased pensions and promises to root out corruption. Iraqi President Barham Saleh has also held discussions with the UN on electoral reform and amendments to the 2005 constitution. Parliament has tried to meet to discuss the protests but failed several times to reach a quorum. Lawmakers were set to meet on Monday, but the sitting had not begun at the scheduled time of 1:00 pm (1000 GMT). Four lawmakers resigned late on Sunday in solidarity with demonstrators, and the largest bloc has been holding an open-ended sit-in since Saturday night. Saeroon, the bloc tied to firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr, said it was dropping its support for Abdel Mahdi. The move has left the premier more squeezed than ever, as Saeroon was one of the two main sponsors of his government. The other was Fatah, the political arm of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, which has said it would continue to back the central government. Several Hashed offices have been torched in recent days in southern Iraq, prompting vows of "revenge" from its leaders. Sadr responded Sunday, warning them: "Do not champion the corrupt. Do not repress the people."

Students flood Iraq streets, defying government and parents

Anti-government rallies have renewed across <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqis-stockpile-food-as-they-gear-up-for-new-demonstrations-258006">Iraq</a>, the second phase of protests that turned deadly earlier this month and which could balloon after the endorsement of populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-chief-visits-iraq-as-us-quits-northern-syria-257692">Iraq</a> was rocked by demonstrations in early October, first denouncing corruption and unemployment before evolving into calls for an overhaul of the political system.

They quieted after a crushing response by security forces and were set to resume Friday, which marks a year since embattled Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi came to power.

But hundreds descended into the streets of the Iraqi capital earlier than anticipated.&nbsp;

They gathered in Baghdad's iconic Tahrir (Liberation) Square late Thursday, carrying Iraq's tricolour flag and calling for the country's entrenched political class to be "uprooted".

A few dozen headed towards the high-security Green Zone, which hosts government offices and foreign embassies, but were pushed back by security forces using water cannons.

Other rallies erupted in the southern cities of Diwaniyah and Nasiriyah, where demonstrators said they would remain in the streets "until the regime falls".

Just after midnight, Abdel Mahdi made a scheduled televised appearance ahead of the larger protests expected the following day.

He defended his reform agenda including a cabinet reshuffle and told the protesters it was their "right" to demonstrate as long as they did not "disturb public life".

But in an unusually critical tone, the premier complained that previous governments had not faced the same kind of level of scrutiny and said political figures demanding "reform" had themselves failed to enact it.&nbsp;

Abdel Mahdi's comments appeared to be a reference to Sadr, the influential ex-militiaman who controls the largest parliamentary bloc, itself called the "Alliance towards Reform."

Many expect Sadr's supporters to hit the streets in large numbers on Friday afternoon, after the weekly sermon of Iraq's highest Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

Sistani had set Friday as the deadline for Abdel Mahdi to enact reforms and his noon statement will be the first signal of how the rest of the highly-anticipated day could develop.

Short-lived calm

The mass rallies that erupted on October 1 were unprecedented in recent Iraqi history both because of their spontaneity and independence and because of the brutal violence with which they were met.&nbsp;

At least 157 people were killed, according to a government probe published on Tuesday, which acknowledged that "excessive force" was used.&nbsp;

A vast majority of them were protesters in Baghdad, with 70 per cent shot in the head or chest.

In response, Abdel Mahdi issued a laundry list of measures meant to ease public anger, including hiring drives and higher pensions for the families of protesters who died.

One in five people lives under the poverty line in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/157-dead-in-anti-government-protests-in-iraq-257534">Iraq</a> and youth unemployment sits around 25 per cent, according to the World Bank.

The rates are staggering for OPEC's second-biggest oil producer, which ranks the 12th most corrupt state in the world according to Transparency International.

The country has been ravaged by decades of conflict that finally calmed in 2017 with a declared victory over the Islamic State group.

Thus began a period of relative calm, with security forces lifting checkpoints and concrete blast walls and traffic choking city streets at hours once thought too dangerous.

'Lessons learned'

Restrictions had even softened around the Green Zone but were reinstated as the October demonstrations picked up in Tahrir, which lies just across the Tigris River.

Authorities also imposed an internet blackout, which has been mostly lifted although social media remains blocked.

Activists have circumvented these restrictions to call for Friday's demonstrations.

The protest movement has brought many of Iraq's deepest divisions to the surface, gripping the country's Shiite-majority areas while the mostly-Kurdish north and Sunni west have remained quiet.&nbsp;

The powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, whose political branch is the second-largest parliamentary bloc, has also announced its support to the government.

It claimed the demonstrations were a "conspiracy" by the US and Israel and said it was "ready" to back authorities.&nbsp;

But others have extended a hand to the protesters, none more clearly than Sadr.

He called on the government to resign in early October but this week much more emphatically backed the protests, giving his supporters the green light to join them

Anti-government rallies have renewed across Iraq, the second phase of protests that turned deadly earlier this month and which could balloon after the endorsement of populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Anti-government rallies have renewed across Iraq, the second phase of protests that turned deadly earlier this month and which could balloon after the endorsement of populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Iraq was rocked by demonstrations in early October, first denouncing corruption and unemployment before evolving into calls for an overhaul of the political system. They quieted after a crushing response by security forces and were set to resume Friday, which marks a year since embattled Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi came to power. But hundreds descended into the streets of the Iraqi capital earlier than anticipated. They gathered in Baghdad's iconic Tahrir (Liberation) Square late Thursday, carrying Iraq's tricolour flag and calling for the country's entrenched political class to be "uprooted". A few dozen headed towards the high-security Green Zone, which hosts government offices and foreign embassies, but were pushed back by security forces using water cannons. Other rallies erupted in the southern cities of Diwaniyah and Nasiriyah, where demonstrators said they would remain in the streets "until the regime falls". Just after midnight, Abdel Mahdi made a scheduled televised appearance ahead of the larger protests expected the following day. He defended his reform agenda including a cabinet reshuffle and told the protesters it was their "right" to demonstrate as long as they did not "disturb public life". But in an unusually critical tone, the premier complained that previous governments had not faced the same kind of level of scrutiny and said political figures demanding "reform" had themselves failed to enact it. Abdel Mahdi's comments appeared to be a reference to Sadr, the influential ex-militiaman who controls the largest parliamentary bloc, itself called the "Alliance towards Reform." Many expect Sadr's supporters to hit the streets in large numbers on Friday afternoon, after the weekly sermon of Iraq's highest Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Sistani had set Friday as the deadline for Abdel Mahdi to enact reforms and his noon statement will be the first signal of how the rest of the highly-anticipated day could develop. Short-lived calm The mass rallies that erupted on October 1 were unprecedented in recent Iraqi history both because of their spontaneity and independence and because of the brutal violence with which they were met. At least 157 people were killed, according to a government probe published on Tuesday, which acknowledged that "excessive force" was used. A vast majority of them were protesters in Baghdad, with 70 per cent shot in the head or chest. In response, Abdel Mahdi issued a laundry list of measures meant to ease public anger, including hiring drives and higher pensions for the families of protesters who died. One in five people lives under the poverty line in Iraq and youth unemployment sits around 25 per cent, according to the World Bank. The rates are staggering for OPEC's second-biggest oil producer, which ranks the 12th most corrupt state in the world according to Transparency International. The country has been ravaged by decades of conflict that finally calmed in 2017 with a declared victory over the Islamic State group. Thus began a period of relative calm, with security forces lifting checkpoints and concrete blast walls and traffic choking city streets at hours once thought too dangerous. 'Lessons learned' Restrictions had even softened around the Green Zone but were reinstated as the October demonstrations picked up in Tahrir, which lies just across the Tigris River. Authorities also imposed an internet blackout, which has been mostly lifted although social media remains blocked. Activists have circumvented these restrictions to call for Friday's demonstrations. The protest movement has brought many of Iraq's deepest divisions to the surface, gripping the country's Shiite-majority areas while the mostly-Kurdish north and Sunni west have remained quiet. The powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, whose political branch is the second-largest parliamentary bloc, has also announced its support to the government. It claimed the demonstrations were a "conspiracy" by the US and Israel and said it was "ready" to back authorities. But others have extended a hand to the protesters, none more clearly than Sadr. He called on the government to resign in early October but this week much more emphatically backed the protests, giving his supporters the green light to join them

Anti-government protests resume in Iraq after bloodshed

The Iraqi government and security forces are "responsible for the bloodshed" during recent protests, top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said on Friday.

In a sermon read out at the main weekly prayers, Sistani gave authorities "two weeks" to release the findings of an investigation into the more than <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-violent-protests-in-iraq-at-least-100-dead-over-6000-hurt-254349">100 deaths recorded</a> during the protests since October 1.

Spiritual leader for Iraq's Shiite majority, Sistani wields significant power to influence the government.

Iraq descended into violence at the start of the month as protests that began with demands for an end to rampant corruption and chronic unemployment escalated with calls for a complete overhaul of the political system.

The demonstrations from October 1-6 in Baghdad and across the south of the country quickly turned violent, as protests were met with tear gas and live fire, with over 100 killed and more than 6,000 wounded.

Uncertainty over the identity of the perpetrators persists, with authorities blaming "unidentified snipers".

But protestors and human rights advocates insist Iraqi security forces participated in the violent repression of the rallies.

The demonstrations were unprecedented because of their apparent spontaneity and independence in a deeply politicised society.

Sistani endorsed the protests on October 4, calling on the government to heed the demonstrators' demands "before it's too late".

"The government must change its approach in dealing with the country's problems," the cleric said, adding that lawmakers also bore a heavy responsibility.

Sistani wields huge influence within Iraq's Shiite community, among whom the deadly protests were concentrated.

"The government and its security forces are responsible for the bloodshed during the recent protests", said Abdel Mahdi al-Karbalai, a representative of Sistani who read his sermon in Karbala on Friday.

"What happened demonstrates an unfettered violence that goes beyond all limits of the imagination," he added, saying "the government is responsible when, under the eye of law enforcement, protestors are fired on illegally and media are beaten or attacked to terrorise their employees."

The Ayatollah went on to call on authorities to act to "put an end to threats, beatings, abductions, sniper fire and violence by those who believe they can act with total impunity."

After six days of violence, the authorities recognised <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-military-admits-excessive-force-used-in-deadly-protests-254197">"excessive force outside the rules of engagement"</a> had been used in Sadr City, the Baghdad stronghold of influential Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr.

Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi on Wednesday promised a full probe into the violence.

In a televised address to the nation, Abdel Mahdi promised compensation to the "martyrs" -- both civilians and members of the security forces killed in clashes.

He also said he would propose a government reshuffle on Thursday to parliament.

The Iraqi government and security forces are "responsible for the bloodshed" during recent protests, top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said on Friday.

The Iraqi government and security forces are "responsible for the bloodshed" during recent protests, top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani said on Friday. In a sermon read out at the main weekly prayers, Sistani gave authorities "two weeks" to release the findings of an investigation into the more than 100 deaths recorded during the protests since October 1. Spiritual leader for Iraq's Shiite majority, Sistani wields significant power to influence the government. Iraq descended into violence at the start of the month as protests that began with demands for an end to rampant corruption and chronic unemployment escalated with calls for a complete overhaul of the political system. The demonstrations from October 1-6 in Baghdad and across the south of the country quickly turned violent, as protests were met with tear gas and live fire, with over 100 killed and more than 6,000 wounded. Uncertainty over the identity of the perpetrators persists, with authorities blaming "unidentified snipers". But protestors and human rights advocates insist Iraqi security forces participated in the violent repression of the rallies. The demonstrations were unprecedented because of their apparent spontaneity and independence in a deeply politicised society. Sistani endorsed the protests on October 4, calling on the government to heed the demonstrators' demands "before it's too late". "The government must change its approach in dealing with the country's problems," the cleric said, adding that lawmakers also bore a heavy responsibility. Sistani wields huge influence within Iraq's Shiite community, among whom the deadly protests were concentrated. "The government and its security forces are responsible for the bloodshed during the recent protests", said Abdel Mahdi al-Karbalai, a representative of Sistani who read his sermon in Karbala on Friday. "What happened demonstrates an unfettered violence that goes beyond all limits of the imagination," he added, saying "the government is responsible when, under the eye of law enforcement, protestors are fired on illegally and media are beaten or attacked to terrorise their employees." The Ayatollah went on to call on authorities to act to "put an end to threats, beatings, abductions, sniper fire and violence by those who believe they can act with total impunity." After six days of violence, the authorities recognised "excessive force outside the rules of engagement" had been used in Sadr City, the Baghdad stronghold of influential Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr. Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi on Wednesday promised a full probe into the violence. In a televised address to the nation, Abdel Mahdi promised compensation to the "martyrs" -- both civilians and members of the security forces killed in clashes. He also said he would propose a government reshuffle on Thursday to parliament.

Top Iraq cleric says government responsible for protest deaths

Since they erupted a week ago, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-violent-protests-in-iraq-at-least-100-dead-over-6000-hurt-254349">deadly protests in Iraq </a>have been tracked closely in Iran where they are seen as a plot to undermine ties between the neighbours.

Tehran has close but complicated relations with Baghdad, holding significant clout among its Shiite political groups.

The two countries fought a devastating war from 1980 to 1988 and Iran's influence in Iraq grew after the US-led invasion toppled longtime dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Clashes that broke out in Iraq last week between protesters and security forces have claimed more than 100 lives, and wounded over 6,000,&nbsp;most of them demonstrators struck by bullets.

The rallies began on Tuesday with calls to reduce corruption and unemployment but have spiralled into demands for the fall of the government and overhaul of the political system.

A string of Iranian officials have&nbsp;since come out with statements accusing their country's arch-foes of being behind the unrest.

"Enemies seek to sow discord but they've failed &amp; their conspiracy won't be effective," supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, quoted on his office's Twitter account.

"Iran and #Iraq are two nations whose hearts &amp; souls are tied together... This bond will grow stronger day by day," he added.

State news agency IRNA said the supreme leader was reacting to the violence in Iraq.

The official news agency weighed in with its own commentary, accusing the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel of stirring the Iraqi protests in order to spoil Iran's ties with Iraq and Syria.

"Unprecedented protests in Iraqi cities... show that some forces inside and outside of the region are seriously concerned about the closeness and cooperation" of Baghdad, Tehran, and Damascus, it added.

Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei opened his weekly news conference on Monday with a statement on the Iraqi crisis.

He said there "are ill-wishers who seek to sabotage any opening between us and those neighbours who've had differences of opinions in recent years".

The spokesman called on "the great people of Iraq to show more self-restraint and seek democratic and legal means to reach their demands.

"As always, the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its readiness to stand beside Iraqi brothers and sisters and help them.

"No form of propaganda can sever the people of Iran and Iraq."

Iran has accused its foes of deliberately stirring trouble in Iraq at a time when vast numbers of pilgrims are heading there for one of the world's largest religious events.

A top military adviser to Khamenei said those behind the unrest would be unable to deter the faithful, however.

"They want to scare people into not going to Arbaeen, but even if it rains arrows and stones, Hussein's lovers will not be afraid," Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

Arbaeen marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the seventh-century killing of Imam Hussein by the forces of the Caliph Yazid.

Last week, Iran urged citizens who were planning to head to Iraq to delay their travel for the pilgrimage that culminates on October 17 with the Arbaeen commemoration.

On Monday, Iran reopened the Khosravi border crossing with Iraq following its closure last week as the protests raged.

IRNA said the fact that the "provocations" came ahead of Arbaeen showed Iran's enemies were "scared".

Judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi said those responsible for the unrest in Iraq aimed to undermine Arbaeen.

"The seditionists intend to undermine and sap enthusiasm for this great event," he said, quoted by state television's website.

"The vigilant people of Iraq exposed this sedition. But everyone must be careful. The seditionists are seeking new tricks at any moment to overshadow the Arbaeen ceremony and to undermine it."

The hardline Keyhan newspaper said "evidence" pointed to the Americans, Saudis and Israelis being involved.

A columnist in the reformist Shargh daily also suggested the Americans, Israelis and Saudis might be the "hidden hands" behind the Iraqi protests.

"Even if that is not the case, the chaotic and tense situation in Iraq today can prepare the grounds for these actors to ride the wave to fulfill their objectives and demands," wrote Abdelrahman Fathollahi.

Since they erupted a week ago, deadly protests in Iraq have been tracked closely in Iran where they are seen as a plot to undermine ties between the neighbours. Tehran has close but complicated relations with Baghdad, holding significant clout among its Shiite political groups.

Since they erupted a week ago, deadly protests in Iraq have been tracked closely in Iran where they are seen as a plot to undermine ties between the neighbours. Tehran has close but complicated relations with Baghdad, holding significant clout among its Shiite political groups. The two countries fought a devastating war from 1980 to 1988 and Iran's influence in Iraq grew after the US-led invasion toppled longtime dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. Clashes that broke out in Iraq last week between protesters and security forces have claimed more than 100 lives, and wounded over 6,000, most of them demonstrators struck by bullets. The rallies began on Tuesday with calls to reduce corruption and unemployment but have spiralled into demands for the fall of the government and overhaul of the political system. A string of Iranian officials have since come out with statements accusing their country's arch-foes of being behind the unrest. "Enemies seek to sow discord but they've failed & their conspiracy won't be effective," supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, quoted on his office's Twitter account. "Iran and #Iraq are two nations whose hearts & souls are tied together... This bond will grow stronger day by day," he added. State news agency IRNA said the supreme leader was reacting to the violence in Iraq. The official news agency weighed in with its own commentary, accusing the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel of stirring the Iraqi protests in order to spoil Iran's ties with Iraq and Syria. "Unprecedented protests in Iraqi cities... show that some forces inside and outside of the region are seriously concerned about the closeness and cooperation" of Baghdad, Tehran, and Damascus, it added. Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei opened his weekly news conference on Monday with a statement on the Iraqi crisis. He said there "are ill-wishers who seek to sabotage any opening between us and those neighbours who've had differences of opinions in recent years". The spokesman called on "the great people of Iraq to show more self-restraint and seek democratic and legal means to reach their demands. "As always, the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its readiness to stand beside Iraqi brothers and sisters and help them. "No form of propaganda can sever the people of Iran and Iraq." Iran has accused its foes of deliberately stirring trouble in Iraq at a time when vast numbers of pilgrims are heading there for one of the world's largest religious events. A top military adviser to Khamenei said those behind the unrest would be unable to deter the faithful, however. "They want to scare people into not going to Arbaeen, but even if it rains arrows and stones, Hussein's lovers will not be afraid," Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. Arbaeen marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the seventh-century killing of Imam Hussein by the forces of the Caliph Yazid. Last week, Iran urged citizens who were planning to head to Iraq to delay their travel for the pilgrimage that culminates on October 17 with the Arbaeen commemoration. On Monday, Iran reopened the Khosravi border crossing with Iraq following its closure last week as the protests raged. IRNA said the fact that the "provocations" came ahead of Arbaeen showed Iran's enemies were "scared". Judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi said those responsible for the unrest in Iraq aimed to undermine Arbaeen. "The seditionists intend to undermine and sap enthusiasm for this great event," he said, quoted by state television's website. "The vigilant people of Iraq exposed this sedition. But everyone must be careful. The seditionists are seeking new tricks at any moment to overshadow the Arbaeen ceremony and to undermine it." The hardline Keyhan newspaper said "evidence" pointed to the Americans, Saudis and Israelis being involved. A columnist in the reformist Shargh daily also suggested the Americans, Israelis and Saudis might be the "hidden hands" behind the Iraqi protests. "Even if that is not the case, the chaotic and tense situation in Iraq today can prepare the grounds for these actors to ride the wave to fulfill their objectives and demands," wrote Abdelrahman Fathollahi.

For Iran, Iraq's unrest is plot to undo bilateral ties

Violent Anti-Government Protests In Iraq Continue To Escalate Iraq is a country in the grip of violent protests. Over the last one week, protests have spiralled out of control leaving over 100 people dead and 6000 people injured.

Gravitas: Violent Protests In Iraq: At Least 100 Dead, Over 6000 Hurt

The U.S.' War On Terror Has Left Iraq Is A Deadly Chaos 16 years after the U.S. invasion, Iraq is in a shambles. The war has killed over 2 lakh civilians, it has crippled Iraq's politics & economy. The U.S. hasn't yet proved the allegations that Iraq possessed 'Weapons of Mass Destruction'. This report charts Iraq's slide into anarchy

Gravitas: 16 Years After The U.S. Invasion, Iraq Is In a Shambles

Strong Ties With Iraq Will Help India Achieve Strategic Autonomy, It Will Accelerate Iran's Economic Growth Too As the crisis deepens in Iraq, it's crucial to realise the failure of U.S. to bring peace to the country. India can take the lead and assist Iraq in its revival.

WION Edit: Time For India To Assist Iraq In Its Revival?

At least eight people were killed in new clashes between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-18-killed-in-iraq-protests-overnight-government-issues-new-promises-254103">Iraqi security forces</a> and anti-government protesters on Sunday, the sixth day of unrest in which the death toll has now passed 100 and more than 6,000 have been wounded.

The eight were killed in eastern Baghdad, police sources said, after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-prime-minister-pledges-reforms-to-calm-angry-protests-254067">police backed by the armed forces used live rounds</a>. The demonstrators had taken to the streets hours after the government announced reforms to try to ease anger over corruption and unemployment.

The unrest is the biggest security and political challenge for Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government since it took power a year ago. The clashes have revived fears of a new spiral of violence that could suck in influential militia groups and be exploited by Islamic State.

Before the latest clashes in the Sadr City residential district of the capital, an Interior Ministry spokesman said 104 people had been killed, including eight members of the security forces, in the unrest since Tuesday.

He said 6,107 had been wounded, including more than 1,000 police and security forces, and dozens of buildings had been set ablaze, he added. But he denied the security forces had fired directly at the protesters.

Two years after oil-producing Iraq declared the defeat of Islamic State, security has improved but corruption is rampant, wrecked infrastructure has not been rebuilt and jobs are scarce.

The protests, which have hit many parts of the country, do not appear to be organised by a single political group and seemed to catch the government by surprise.

At an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday night, the government agreed a 17-point plan to increase subsidized housing for the poor, stipends for the unemployed and training programs and small loans initiatives for unemployed youth.

The families of those killed during demonstrations this week will also receive handouts and care usually granted to members of the security forces killed during war, it said.

"Amid all of this, I swear to God that my only concern is for the casualties," Abdul Mahdi was quoted by state television as saying during the cabinet meeting.

Details of the plan were disseminated on social media, but there was a continued internet outage across most of the country.

Clashes overnight

Twenty-six people were killed in clashes on Saturday and Sunday in Baghdad, the police and medical sources said.

Police also fired live rounds during clashes in the southern city of Nasiriya on Saturday, wounding 24 people including seven police, according to security, hospital and morgue sources. One person was killed on Saturday during demonstrations in the southern city of Diwaniya.

Protesters also torched the headquarters of several political parties in Nasiriya, police said. These included the headquarters of the powerful Dawa party that dominated Iraq's government from 2003 until 2018 elections.

Calm returned for hours on Sunday to heavily guarded Baghdad and southern provinces where there have been heavy clashes in the past few days. But violence broke out again in eastern Baghdad after nightfall.

There were small protests that dispersed without violent outbreaks in Diwaniya and in the holy city of Najaf.

"Security forces did all they could to preserve the safety of the protesters and security personnel," Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Saad Maan said. "We express our deep regret over the bloodshed."

Maan dismissed talk of clashes between security forces and demonstrators, saying there were "malicious forces" who targeted both groups. But Iraq's semi-official High Commission for Human Rights heavily criticised the police response.

"There is no justification for the use of live bullets against peaceful demonstrators," Aqeel al-Musawi, the commission's head, said in a statement. "The government has a duty to protect the demonstrators and enable them to express their legitimate demands smoothly."

Fears of escalation

Anger among the protesters runs deep, and the government faces opposition among parliamentary blocs that have begun boycotting legislative meetings.

Influential Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has a mass popular following and controls a large chunk of parliament, has demanded the government resign and snap elections be held. At least one other major parliamentary grouping allied itself with Sadr against the government.

The governor of Baghdad province, whose position is not very influential, resigned on Sunday after accusations by protesters that he failed to improve conditions in the city.

But powerful political parties that have dominated Iraqi politics since the 2003 US-led invasion and toppling of dictator Saddam Hussein have not indicated they are willing to relinquish the institutions they control.

The violence continued as people began journeying across southern Iraq for the Shi'ite pilgrimage of Arbaeen, which is expected to attract 20 million worshippers.

At least eight people were killed in new clashes between Iraqi security forces and anti-government protesters on Sunday, the sixth day of unrest in which the death toll has now passed 100 and more than 6,000 have been wounded.

At least eight people were killed in new clashes between Iraqi security forces and anti-government protesters on Sunday, the sixth day of unrest in which the death toll has now passed 100 and more than 6,000 have been wounded. The eight were killed in eastern Baghdad, police sources said, after police backed by the armed forces used live rounds. The demonstrators had taken to the streets hours after the government announced reforms to try to ease anger over corruption and unemployment. The unrest is the biggest security and political challenge for Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government since it took power a year ago. The clashes have revived fears of a new spiral of violence that could suck in influential militia groups and be exploited by Islamic State. Before the latest clashes in the Sadr City residential district of the capital, an Interior Ministry spokesman said 104 people had been killed, including eight members of the security forces, in the unrest since Tuesday. He said 6,107 had been wounded, including more than 1,000 police and security forces, and dozens of buildings had been set ablaze, he added. But he denied the security forces had fired directly at the protesters. Two years after oil-producing Iraq declared the defeat of Islamic State, security has improved but corruption is rampant, wrecked infrastructure has not been rebuilt and jobs are scarce. The protests, which have hit many parts of the country, do not appear to be organised by a single political group and seemed to catch the government by surprise. At an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday night, the government agreed a 17-point plan to increase subsidized housing for the poor, stipends for the unemployed and training programs and small loans initiatives for unemployed youth. The families of those killed during demonstrations this week will also receive handouts and care usually granted to members of the security forces killed during war, it said. "Amid all of this, I swear to God that my only concern is for the casualties," Abdul Mahdi was quoted by state television as saying during the cabinet meeting. Details of the plan were disseminated on social media, but there was a continued internet outage across most of the country. Clashes overnight Twenty-six people were killed in clashes on Saturday and Sunday in Baghdad, the police and medical sources said. Police also fired live rounds during clashes in the southern city of Nasiriya on Saturday, wounding 24 people including seven police, according to security, hospital and morgue sources. One person was killed on Saturday during demonstrations in the southern city of Diwaniya. Protesters also torched the headquarters of several political parties in Nasiriya, police said. These included the headquarters of the powerful Dawa party that dominated Iraq's government from 2003 until 2018 elections. Calm returned for hours on Sunday to heavily guarded Baghdad and southern provinces where there have been heavy clashes in the past few days. But violence broke out again in eastern Baghdad after nightfall. There were small protests that dispersed without violent outbreaks in Diwaniya and in the holy city of Najaf. "Security forces did all they could to preserve the safety of the protesters and security personnel," Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Saad Maan said. "We express our deep regret over the bloodshed." Maan dismissed talk of clashes between security forces and demonstrators, saying there were "malicious forces" who targeted both groups. But Iraq's semi-official High Commission for Human Rights heavily criticised the police response. "There is no justification for the use of live bullets against peaceful demonstrators," Aqeel al-Musawi, the commission's head, said in a statement. "The government has a duty to protect the demonstrators and enable them to express their legitimate demands smoothly." Fears of escalation Anger among the protesters runs deep, and the government faces opposition among parliamentary blocs that have begun boycotting legislative meetings. Influential Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has a mass popular following and controls a large chunk of parliament, has demanded the government resign and snap elections be held. At least one other major parliamentary grouping allied itself with Sadr against the government. The governor of Baghdad province, whose position is not very influential, resigned on Sunday after accusations by protesters that he failed to improve conditions in the city. But powerful political parties that have dominated Iraqi politics since the 2003 US-led invasion and toppling of dictator Saddam Hussein have not indicated they are willing to relinquish the institutions they control. The violence continued as people began journeying across southern Iraq for the Shi'ite pilgrimage of Arbaeen, which is expected to attract 20 million worshippers.

Iraqi police fire on protesters in new unrest, death toll passes 100

Iraq's military admitted on Monday that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-police-fire-on-protesters-in-new-unrest-death-toll-passes-100-254133">"excessive force"</a> was used in a district of the capital overnight where a mass protest led to clashes that medics and security forces said left 13 people dead.

"Excessive force outside the rules of engagement was used and we have begun to hold accountable those commanding officers who carried out these wrong acts," the military said in a statement.

It was the first time since protests broke out on Tuesday that security forces acknowledged using disproportionate measures, while protesters had accused them of firing live rounds directly at them.&nbsp;

Hundreds had gathered overnight in Sadr City, a densely populated district in eastern Baghdad where state security forces are rarely seen.

On videos distributed on social media of the late-night rally, protesters ducked in streets littered with burning tyres as heavy gunfire was heard.

Security sources and medics said the clashes left 13 people dead overnight.&nbsp;

In a statement distributed to journalists on Monday morning, the Iraqi military said Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi had ordered, "all army units to withdraw from Sadr City to be replaced with federal police units."

He called on all forces to abide by the "rules of engagement" in dealing with rallies, it added.

In his only address to the protesters last week, Abdel Mahdi had insisted security forces were acting "within international standards" in dealing with demonstrations.

Meanwhile, PM Abdel&nbsp;discussed protests with&nbsp;US State Secretary Mike Pompeo.

"The Prime Minister reviewed developments in the security situation and the return to normal life after the curfew was lifted, and confirmed that security forces had resumed control and stability had been restored," the statement said.

The statement said the government has put forward a package of reforms and will continue to provide more to meet the demands of the protesters.

Iraq's military admitted on Monday that "excessive force" was used in a district of the capital overnight where a mass protest led to clashes that medics and security forces said left 13 people dead.

Iraq's military admitted on Monday that "excessive force" was used in a district of the capital overnight where a mass protest led to clashes that medics and security forces said left 13 people dead. "Excessive force outside the rules of engagement was used and we have begun to hold accountable those commanding officers who carried out these wrong acts," the military said in a statement. It was the first time since protests broke out on Tuesday that security forces acknowledged using disproportionate measures, while protesters had accused them of firing live rounds directly at them. Hundreds had gathered overnight in Sadr City, a densely populated district in eastern Baghdad where state security forces are rarely seen. On videos distributed on social media of the late-night rally, protesters ducked in streets littered with burning tyres as heavy gunfire was heard. Security sources and medics said the clashes left 13 people dead overnight. In a statement distributed to journalists on Monday morning, the Iraqi military said Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi had ordered, "all army units to withdraw from Sadr City to be replaced with federal police units." He called on all forces to abide by the "rules of engagement" in dealing with rallies, it added. In his only address to the protesters last week, Abdel Mahdi had insisted security forces were acting "within international standards" in dealing with demonstrations. Meanwhile, PM Abdel discussed protests with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo. "The Prime Minister reviewed developments in the security situation and the return to normal life after the curfew was lifted, and confirmed that security forces had resumed control and stability had been restored," the statement said. The statement said the government has put forward a package of reforms and will continue to provide more to meet the demands of the protesters.

Iraq military admits 'excessive force' used in deadly protests

Death toll has reached to 100 in clashes between police and protesters.The unrest is the deadliest Iraq has seen since the declared defeat of Islamic State in 2017 and has shaken Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's year-old government

Anti-Govt protests in Iraq: Death Toll rises to 100

Iraqi firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr called on the government to resign as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-surges-to-46-as-iraq-unrest-accelerates-no-magic-solution-says-pm-253737">violence spiked Friday across the country</a> and protesters clashed with police on the fourth day of deadly demonstrations against corruption and unemployment.

The former Shiite militia leader, whose bloc is the biggest in parliament, said in a statement that in order to avoid further deaths "the government should resign and early elections should be held under UN supervision".

He said he could "not keep silent" as Iraqi blood was being shed.

At least 60 people have died over four days of bloody protest across Iraq, the Iraqi Human Rights Commission said late Friday, without specifying how many were civilians or security forces. The previous toll was 44.&nbsp;

The latest figures include 18 deaths registered at a single hospital in the capital Baghdad.&nbsp;

With more than 1,600 people wounded, the toll may rise further.&nbsp;

Friday saw chaotic scenes of protests in Baghdad and other cities with at least 10 people killed, including four -- two police and two civilians -- who security forces said were shot dead by "unidentified snipers".

AFP journalists reported hearing rapid automatic rifle fire across the capital.

Sadr's statement piled new pressure on Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi as he battles to quell the unrest.

It came after Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani urged authorities in a midday sermon to heed the demands of demonstrators, warning the protests could escalate unless immediate and clear steps are taken.

In his first speech since protests began Tuesday, the embattled premier appealed for patience from the young unemployed who have formed the mainstay of the protests, saying his not yet year-old government needed more time to implement reforms.

But despite his plea, a curfew and an internet blackout, Iraqis thronged the iconic Tahrir Square on Friday and clashed with the anti-riot police, AFP reporters said.

Security forces opened up with a barrage of gunfire and reporters said they saw several people hit by bullets, some in the head and the stomach.

'We're not infiltrators'

"We're not infiltrators," protesters in the capital shouted, responding to accusations from Iraqi officials that "aggressors" were behind the protests.&nbsp;

Demonstrator Sayyed told AFP the protests would continue "until the government falls".&nbsp;

Protests first broke out in Baghdad on Tuesday and have since spread across the Shiite-dominated south.&nbsp;

They are unusual because of their apparent spontaneity and independence in a country where rallies are typically called by politicians or religious figures.

Medical sources say that most of those killed were hit by live rounds but do not specify who was shooting.

The Iraqi human rights commission said wounded protesters were being arrested from hospitals, slamming a heavy-handed approach by security forces.

In the southern city of Diwaniyah, where two people were killed on Friday, AFP reporters said protesters had breached the main gate at the governor's compound and were headed towards the main building.&nbsp;

The back-to-back messages from Sistani and Sadr were a huge blow to Abdel Mahdi's government.&nbsp;

Sistani has repeatedly acted as final arbiter of the politics of Iraq's Shiite community, which dominates the government.

And populist Sadr's Saeroon bloc emerged as the biggest in the Iraqi parliament after May 2018 elections.&nbsp;

His supporters have been at the forefront of most of the larger protests in recent years, including in 2016 when he urged them to storm Baghdad's administrative and diplomatic Green Zone.

Adel Mahdi on Friday asked for more time to implement his reform agenda in a country plagued by corruption and unemployment after decades of conflict.

"There are no magic solutions."

'Lethal force'

In a live television address, parliament speaker Mohammad al-Halboussi assured protesters "your voice is being heard", adding that he was holding meetings with officials to discuss their grievances.

Riot police have unleashed water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets and live fire to clear the streets of protesters.

As protests and clashes gained in intensity, many Baghdad shops and petrol stations remained shuttered Friday.

In a residential area near the protest site, crowds gathered to buy vegetables and fruit, with one shopkeeper saying the price of tomatoes, grapes and other greens had risen threefold.

Northern and western provinces that were ravaged in the 2014-2017 war against the Islamist State group have remained relatively quiet.

The United Nations and Amnesty International urged Iraqi authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly.

"We are worried by reports that security forces have used live ammunition and rubber bullets in some areas, and have also fired tear gas canisters directly at protesters," Marta Hurtado, spokeswoman for the UN human rights office, told reporters in Geneva.

Amnesty International's Middle East research director Lynn Maalouf condemned the use of "lethal and unnecessary force".

An internet blackout was a "draconian measure... to silence protests away from cameras and the world's eyes", she added.

Iraqi firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr called on the government to resign as violence spiked Friday across the country and protesters clashed with police on the fourth day of deadly demonstrations against corruption and unemployment.

Iraqi firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr called on the government to resign as violence spiked Friday across the country and protesters clashed with police on the fourth day of deadly demonstrations against corruption and unemployment. The former Shiite militia leader, whose bloc is the biggest in parliament, said in a statement that in order to avoid further deaths "the government should resign and early elections should be held under UN supervision". He said he could "not keep silent" as Iraqi blood was being shed. At least 60 people have died over four days of bloody protest across Iraq, the Iraqi Human Rights Commission said late Friday, without specifying how many were civilians or security forces. The previous toll was 44. The latest figures include 18 deaths registered at a single hospital in the capital Baghdad. With more than 1,600 people wounded, the toll may rise further. Friday saw chaotic scenes of protests in Baghdad and other cities with at least 10 people killed, including four -- two police and two civilians -- who security forces said were shot dead by "unidentified snipers". AFP journalists reported hearing rapid automatic rifle fire across the capital. Sadr's statement piled new pressure on Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi as he battles to quell the unrest. It came after Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani urged authorities in a midday sermon to heed the demands of demonstrators, warning the protests could escalate unless immediate and clear steps are taken. In his first speech since protests began Tuesday, the embattled premier appealed for patience from the young unemployed who have formed the mainstay of the protests, saying his not yet year-old government needed more time to implement reforms. But despite his plea, a curfew and an internet blackout, Iraqis thronged the iconic Tahrir Square on Friday and clashed with the anti-riot police, AFP reporters said. Security forces opened up with a barrage of gunfire and reporters said they saw several people hit by bullets, some in the head and the stomach. 'We're not infiltrators' "We're not infiltrators," protesters in the capital shouted, responding to accusations from Iraqi officials that "aggressors" were behind the protests. Demonstrator Sayyed told AFP the protests would continue "until the government falls". Protests first broke out in Baghdad on Tuesday and have since spread across the Shiite-dominated south. They are unusual because of their apparent spontaneity and independence in a country where rallies are typically called by politicians or religious figures. Medical sources say that most of those killed were hit by live rounds but do not specify who was shooting. The Iraqi human rights commission said wounded protesters were being arrested from hospitals, slamming a heavy-handed approach by security forces. In the southern city of Diwaniyah, where two people were killed on Friday, AFP reporters said protesters had breached the main gate at the governor's compound and were headed towards the main building. The back-to-back messages from Sistani and Sadr were a huge blow to Abdel Mahdi's government. Sistani has repeatedly acted as final arbiter of the politics of Iraq's Shiite community, which dominates the government. And populist Sadr's Saeroon bloc emerged as the biggest in the Iraqi parliament after May 2018 elections. His supporters have been at the forefront of most of the larger protests in recent years, including in 2016 when he urged them to storm Baghdad's administrative and diplomatic Green Zone. Adel Mahdi on Friday asked for more time to implement his reform agenda in a country plagued by corruption and unemployment after decades of conflict. "There are no magic solutions." 'Lethal force' In a live television address, parliament speaker Mohammad al-Halboussi assured protesters "your voice is being heard", adding that he was holding meetings with officials to discuss their grievances. Riot police have unleashed water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets and live fire to clear the streets of protesters. As protests and clashes gained in intensity, many Baghdad shops and petrol stations remained shuttered Friday. In a residential area near the protest site, crowds gathered to buy vegetables and fruit, with one shopkeeper saying the price of tomatoes, grapes and other greens had risen threefold. Northern and western provinces that were ravaged in the 2014-2017 war against the Islamist State group have remained relatively quiet. The United Nations and Amnesty International urged Iraqi authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly. "We are worried by reports that security forces have used live ammunition and rubber bullets in some areas, and have also fired tear gas canisters directly at protesters," Marta Hurtado, spokeswoman for the UN human rights office, told reporters in Geneva. Amnesty International's Middle East research director Lynn Maalouf condemned the use of "lethal and unnecessary force". An internet blackout was a "draconian measure... to silence protests away from cameras and the world's eyes", she added.

Iraq protest: At least 60 people die; cleric Sadr demands government resign

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called for calm as more than 190 people were wounded in the capital on Friday, but protesters scorned his promises of political reform.

Iraq Anti-Government Protest: Military deployed to quell protests

The death toll from mass protests in Baghdad and cities across southern Iraq rose to 73 on Saturday as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-protest-at-least-60-people-dead-cleric-sadr-demands-government-resign-253833">unrest entered its fifth day</a>, parliament's human rights commission said.

More than 3,000 people have also been injured since the protests against chronic unemployment, poor public services and widespread corruption erupted in the capital on Tuesday, the commission said.

A total of 540 demonstrators have been arrested, of whom nearly 200 remain in custody, the panel added.

The violence is the worst since Iraq put down an insurgency by Islamic State two years ago. The protests arose in the south, heartland of the Shi'ite majority, but quickly spread, with no formal leadership.

The violence is an unprecedented test for Adel Abdul Mahdi, a mild-mannered veteran politician who came to power last year as a compromise candidate backed by powerful Shi'ite groups that have dominated Iraq since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Watch: Iraq anti-government protest - military deployed to quell protests

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In his overnight address, Abdul Mahdi pledged reforms but said there was no "magic solution" to Iraq's problems. He insisted politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said.

A young man in a crowd fleeing sniper shots at a central Baghdad square was scornful. "The promises by Adel Abdul Mahdi are to fool the people, and today they are firing live gunshots at us," he said.

"Today this was a peaceful protest. They set up these barricades, and the sniper is sitting right there since last night."

Police and medical sources told Reuters the death toll so far included 18 people killed in the southern city of Nassiriya, 16 in Baghdad, four in the southern city of Amara and four in Baquba as unrest spread north of the capital. Deaths were also reported in the southern cities of Hilla and Najaf.

Curfews were imposed in a number of cities. Authorities shut roads into the capital from the north and northeast and were sending reinforcements to Baghdad's densely populated east. Military convoys were being sent to Nassiriya.

Abdul Mahdi said late on Friday that a curfew in Baghdad would be lifted from 5 a.m. local time on Saturday.

The death toll from mass protests in Baghdad and cities across southern Iraq rose to 73 on Saturday as the unrest entered its fifth day, parliament's human rights commission said.

The death toll from mass protests in Baghdad and cities across southern Iraq rose to 73 on Saturday as the unrest entered its fifth day, parliament's human rights commission said. More than 3,000 people have also been injured since the protests against chronic unemployment, poor public services and widespread corruption erupted in the capital on Tuesday, the commission said. A total of 540 demonstrators have been arrested, of whom nearly 200 remain in custody, the panel added. The violence is the worst since Iraq put down an insurgency by Islamic State two years ago. The protests arose in the south, heartland of the Shi'ite majority, but quickly spread, with no formal leadership. The violence is an unprecedented test for Adel Abdul Mahdi, a mild-mannered veteran politician who came to power last year as a compromise candidate backed by powerful Shi'ite groups that have dominated Iraq since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Watch: Iraq anti-government protest - military deployed to quell protests × In his overnight address, Abdul Mahdi pledged reforms but said there was no "magic solution" to Iraq's problems. He insisted politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said. A young man in a crowd fleeing sniper shots at a central Baghdad square was scornful. "The promises by Adel Abdul Mahdi are to fool the people, and today they are firing live gunshots at us," he said. "Today this was a peaceful protest. They set up these barricades, and the sniper is sitting right there since last night." Police and medical sources told Reuters the death toll so far included 18 people killed in the southern city of Nassiriya, 16 in Baghdad, four in the southern city of Amara and four in Baquba as unrest spread north of the capital. Deaths were also reported in the southern cities of Hilla and Najaf. Curfews were imposed in a number of cities. Authorities shut roads into the capital from the north and northeast and were sending reinforcements to Baghdad's densely populated east. Military convoys were being sent to Nassiriya. Abdul Mahdi said late on Friday that a curfew in Baghdad would be lifted from 5 a.m. local time on Saturday.

Iraq protests death toll rises to 73; over 3,000 injured

Police shot at a small group of protesters in Baghdad on Friday after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-in-bloody-protests-across-iraq-31-dead-253590">three deadly days of anti-government unrest</a>, and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said no "magic solution" was available, pledging vague reform unlikely to placate Iraqis.

At least 27 people have been killed so far in violent demonstrations that have escalated by the day, sweeping across southern cities since they first erupted on Tuesday.

The unrest, fuelled by popular rage over poor living standards and corruption, is the first major challenge for Abdul Mahdi, who took office last year backed by Shi'ite parties that have dominated Iraq since the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein.

It also comes on the eve of the Arbaeen Shi'ite pilgrimage, when as many as 20 million worshippers are expected to journey for days on foot across southern Iraq in the world's biggest annual gathering, ten times the size of the Mecca Hajj.

The Iraqi capital was mostly quiet ahead of Muslim Friday prayers. An ongoing curfew, defied by thousands of demonstrators on Thursday, saw the army and special forces deploy around central squares and streets.

Iraqis expect large protests to erupt later in the day, absent a meaningful response from politicians they accuse of holding back Iraq's recovery from years of conflict through corruption and neglect.

Abdul Mahdi acknowledged the public discontent in an overnight television message, insisting politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said.

He called for calm and for support from lawmakers to reshuffle cabinet posts away from the influence of big parties and groups. He said a basic wage for poor families would be discussed by the government, but that no "magic solutions" had been available to fix the country.

Out on the streets of Baghdad overnight, protesters gathered by a bonfire set among the flaming wreckage of an armoured vehicle, across the Tigris River from the government compound.

"They are <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-police-fire-live-rounds-as-protesters-defy-curfew-253498">shooting live fire at the Iraqi people and the revolutionaries.</a> We can cross the bridge and take them out of the Green Zone!" a man shouted to Reuters TV

"Abdul Mahdi, they will cross the bridge. You better resign. Resign. The people demand the fall of the regime!" he shouted as the crowd behind him took up a chant that swept the Middle East during popular uprisings across the region in 2011: "The people demand the fall of the regime!"

Two years after the defeat of the Islamic State Sunni militant movement, Iraq has finally been at peace and free to trade for the first extended period since the 1970s. Oil production is at record levels providing windfall income for Baghdad. Yet after decades of war and sanctions, infrastructure is still decrepit, cities are in ruins and there are few employment opportunities for a population of 40 million.

Protesters say they funds are being siphoned off by political parties who have a firm grip on power in Baghdad.

They clashed with security forces in mass demonstrations that began in Baghdad on Tuesday and spread to cities in the southern Shi'ite heartland. Hundreds of people have been wounded as security forces opened fire to disperse the crowds, and demonstrators in some areas have shot back.

Police shot at a small group of protesters in Baghdad on Friday after three deadly days of anti-government unrest, and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said no "magic solution" was available, pledging vague reform unlikely to placate Iraqis.

Police shot at a small group of protesters in Baghdad on Friday after three deadly days of anti-government unrest, and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said no "magic solution" was available, pledging vague reform unlikely to placate Iraqis. At least 27 people have been killed so far in violent demonstrations that have escalated by the day, sweeping across southern cities since they first erupted on Tuesday. The unrest, fuelled by popular rage over poor living standards and corruption, is the first major challenge for Abdul Mahdi, who took office last year backed by Shi'ite parties that have dominated Iraq since the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein. It also comes on the eve of the Arbaeen Shi'ite pilgrimage, when as many as 20 million worshippers are expected to journey for days on foot across southern Iraq in the world's biggest annual gathering, ten times the size of the Mecca Hajj. The Iraqi capital was mostly quiet ahead of Muslim Friday prayers. An ongoing curfew, defied by thousands of demonstrators on Thursday, saw the army and special forces deploy around central squares and streets. Iraqis expect large protests to erupt later in the day, absent a meaningful response from politicians they accuse of holding back Iraq's recovery from years of conflict through corruption and neglect. Abdul Mahdi acknowledged the public discontent in an overnight television message, insisting politicians were aware of the suffering of the masses: "We do not live in ivory towers - we walk among you in the streets of Baghdad," he said. He called for calm and for support from lawmakers to reshuffle cabinet posts away from the influence of big parties and groups. He said a basic wage for poor families would be discussed by the government, but that no "magic solutions" had been available to fix the country. Out on the streets of Baghdad overnight, protesters gathered by a bonfire set among the flaming wreckage of an armoured vehicle, across the Tigris River from the government compound. "They are shooting live fire at the Iraqi people and the revolutionaries. We can cross the bridge and take them out of the Green Zone!" a man shouted to Reuters TV "Abdul Mahdi, they will cross the bridge. You better resign. Resign. The people demand the fall of the regime!" he shouted as the crowd behind him took up a chant that swept the Middle East during popular uprisings across the region in 2011: "The people demand the fall of the regime!" Two years after the defeat of the Islamic State Sunni militant movement, Iraq has finally been at peace and free to trade for the first extended period since the 1970s. Oil production is at record levels providing windfall income for Baghdad. Yet after decades of war and sanctions, infrastructure is still decrepit, cities are in ruins and there are few employment opportunities for a population of 40 million. Protesters say they funds are being siphoned off by political parties who have a firm grip on power in Baghdad. They clashed with security forces in mass demonstrations that began in Baghdad on Tuesday and spread to cities in the southern Shi'ite heartland. Hundreds of people have been wounded as security forces opened fire to disperse the crowds, and demonstrators in some areas have shot back.

Iraqi forces fire at protesters in Baghdad after PM pledges vague reform

Why Iraqis are protesting?

Iraqi police fired live rounds to disperse crowds that defied a pre-dawn curfew to protest on Thursday after 11 people were killed overnight in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/curfew-imposed-in-baghdad-after-deadly-protests-253397">clashes that have escalated </a>into one of the worst security challenges since the defeat of Islamic State.

Troops patrolled main roads and public spaces in Baghdad, but by morning small, sporadic demonstrations had begun again in defiance of the open-ended curfew imposed in the capital from 5 a.m.

Clashes overnight in southern cities more than doubled the death toll of three days of unrest, bringing it to 18. The demonstrations began in Baghdad on Tuesday and quickly grew and spread to other cities, mainly in Iraq's south. Police fired live rounds, tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.

Protesters directed their anger at a government and political class they say is corrupt and doing nothing to improve their lives. They demanded jobs, better services and called for the "downfall of the regime".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iraq-declares-curfew-in-baghdad-until-further-notice-pm-adel-abdul-mahdi-253478">Curfews imposed </a>in southern Iraqi cities overnight were lifted, local police said. Clashes during the night between protesters and security forces killed seven people including a policeman in Nassiriya, and four people in Amara, police and medics said.

Iraq has struggled to recover from the battle against the Sunni Muslim hardline Islamic State group between 2014 and 2017. Its infrastructure has been laid to waste by decades of sectarian civil war, foreign occupation, two U.S. invasions, U.N. sanctions and war against its neighbours.

With the country at last at peace and free to trade, many Iraqis say their government has failed to rebuild the nation.

Similar demonstrations that began in oil-rich Basra last year prompted a heavy crackdown by security forces, killing nearly 30 people.

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi chaired an emergency national security council meeting and ordered Thursday's curfew in Baghdad. Only travellers to and from the airport, ambulances, some government employees and religious pilgrims were to be allowed on the streets.

Separately, police and medical sources said a couple who had been involved in the Basra protests last year were shot dead in their home late on Wednesday. Security sources said they had received threats from powerful militia groups in Basra last year.

Iraq has the world's fourth-largest reserves of oil, according to the International Monetary Fund, but much of its population of 40 million lives in poverty and without decent healthcare, education or power and water supply.

Iraqi police fired live rounds to disperse crowds that defied a pre-dawn curfew to protest on Thursday after 11 people were killed overnight in clashes that have escalated into one of the worst security challenges since the defeat of Islamic State.

Iraqi police fired live rounds to disperse crowds that defied a pre-dawn curfew to protest on Thursday after 11 people were killed overnight in clashes that have escalated into one of the worst security challenges since the defeat of Islamic State. Troops patrolled main roads and public spaces in Baghdad, but by morning small, sporadic demonstrations had begun again in defiance of the open-ended curfew imposed in the capital from 5 a.m. Clashes overnight in southern cities more than doubled the death toll of three days of unrest, bringing it to 18. The demonstrations began in Baghdad on Tuesday and quickly grew and spread to other cities, mainly in Iraq's south. Police fired live rounds, tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters. Protesters directed their anger at a government and political class they say is corrupt and doing nothing to improve their lives. They demanded jobs, better services and called for the "downfall of the regime". Curfews imposed in southern Iraqi cities overnight were lifted, local police said. Clashes during the night between protesters and security forces killed seven people including a policeman in Nassiriya, and four people in Amara, police and medics said. Iraq has struggled to recover from the battle against the Sunni Muslim hardline Islamic State group between 2014 and 2017. Its infrastructure has been laid to waste by decades of sectarian civil war, foreign occupation, two U.S. invasions, U.N. sanctions and war against its neighbours. With the country at last at peace and free to trade, many Iraqis say their government has failed to rebuild the nation. Similar demonstrations that began in oil-rich Basra last year prompted a heavy crackdown by security forces, killing nearly 30 people. Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi chaired an emergency national security council meeting and ordered Thursday's curfew in Baghdad. Only travellers to and from the airport, ambulances, some government employees and religious pilgrims were to be allowed on the streets. Separately, police and medical sources said a couple who had been involved in the Basra protests last year were shot dead in their home late on Wednesday. Security sources said they had received threats from powerful militia groups in Basra last year. Iraq has the world's fourth-largest reserves of oil, according to the International Monetary Fund, but much of its population of 40 million lives in poverty and without decent healthcare, education or power and water supply.

Iraqi police fire live rounds as protesters defy curfew

Thousands of supporters of a populist Iraqi Shi’ite Muslim cleric urged political and factional leaders on Friday to stay out of any conflict between Baghdad’s two biggest allies, Iran and the United States.

Iraqi protesters urge Baghdad to stay out of U.S.-Iran showdown

An Iraqi policeman was killed and seven others wounded in clashes with protesters loyal to prominent Shi`ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr who had gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to demand political reforms, the interior ministry said.

Thousands had gathered in the square to demand an overhaul of the commission that supervises elections ahead of a provincial vote due in September.

Police tried to disperse them as they attempted to cross the bridge that links Tahrir Square in central Baghdad and the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings, embassies and international organisations.

The escalation of problems with Sadr comes at the wrong time for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi who wants to keep the focus on dislodging Islamic State from the northern city of Mosul.&nbsp;

Police fired tear gas to prevent protesters from getting too close to the Green Zone, witnesses said, choking about two dozen demonstrators, according to the organisers of the protest.&nbsp;

Bursts of gunfire were also heard but it was not clear where they came from.

Sadr`s supporters stormed the Green Zone last year after violent clashes with security forces.

An interior ministry statement said guns and knives were found on some protesters.

Sadr issued a statement saying the demonstration was peaceful and accused the police of using excessive force.

He said his supporters wanted to get near the Green Zone to make their voices heard by decision makers, and had no intention of storming it again. Sadr asked the protesters to &quot;withdraw until further notice&quot;.&nbsp;

Television footage showed young men, many holding Iraqi flags and covering their faces, running away as smoke filled Tahrir Square.

Sadr suspects that members of the electoral commission are loyal to his Shi`ite rival, former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, one of the closest allies of Iran in Iraq.

Sadr is openly hostile to American presence and policies in the Middle East and, at the same time, he has a troubled relationship with Iraqi political groups allied with Iran.

A political commentator close to Abadi, Ihsan al-Shammari, told Reuters the protests were ill-timed but would not affect the U.S.-backed military campaign on Mosul.

&quot;The protests don`t affect the ongoing military preparations to retake Mosul, but the problem is that, at this time, they are disturbing the security situation,&quot; he said.

Iraqi forces last month completed the first phase of the Mosul offensive that started in October, by dislodging the militants from the eastern side of the city. They are now preparing to attack the part that lies west of the Tigris river.

(Reuters)

Protesters were demanding an overhaul of the commission that supervises the country's elections

An Iraqi policeman was killed and seven others wounded in clashes with protesters loyal to prominent Shi`ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr who had gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to demand political reforms, the interior ministry said. Thousands had gathered in the square to demand an overhaul of the commission that supervises elections ahead of a provincial vote due in September. Police tried to disperse them as they attempted to cross the bridge that links Tahrir Square in central Baghdad and the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings, embassies and international organisations. The escalation of problems with Sadr comes at the wrong time for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi who wants to keep the focus on dislodging Islamic State from the northern city of Mosul. Police fired tear gas to prevent protesters from getting too close to the Green Zone, witnesses said, choking about two dozen demonstrators, according to the organisers of the protest. Bursts of gunfire were also heard but it was not clear where they came from. Sadr`s supporters stormed the Green Zone last year after violent clashes with security forces. An interior ministry statement said guns and knives were found on some protesters. Sadr issued a statement saying the demonstration was peaceful and accused the police of using excessive force. He said his supporters wanted to get near the Green Zone to make their voices heard by decision makers, and had no intention of storming it again. Sadr asked the protesters to "withdraw until further notice". Television footage showed young men, many holding Iraqi flags and covering their faces, running away as smoke filled Tahrir Square. Sadr suspects that members of the electoral commission are loyal to his Shi`ite rival, former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, one of the closest allies of Iran in Iraq. Sadr is openly hostile to American presence and policies in the Middle East and, at the same time, he has a troubled relationship with Iraqi political groups allied with Iran. A political commentator close to Abadi, Ihsan al-Shammari, told Reuters the protests were ill-timed but would not affect the U.S.-backed military campaign on Mosul. "The protests don`t affect the ongoing military preparations to retake Mosul, but the problem is that, at this time, they are disturbing the security situation," he said. Iraqi forces last month completed the first phase of the Mosul offensive that started in October, by dislodging the militants from the eastern side of the city. They are now preparing to attack the part that lies west of the Tigris river. (Reuters)

Iraq: One policeman killed, several injured in anti-government protests

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