Iraq was marred by deadly violence after Muqtada Al-Sadr announced that he's quitting politics. In the latest, Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has said that he will leave office of the political situation in the country worsens.

Iraq's PM: Will vacate post if political situation worsens

The violent protests in Iraq got worse on Monday as the clashes between the country’s forces and Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's followers ended up claiming 15 lives and injuring over a hundred people.&nbsp;

The protesters were already staging sit-ins in front of the Presidential palace in Baghdad and the news of Al-Sadr quitting politics amidst the ongoing political crisis prompted them to break into the Green Zone.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-how-political-crisis-and-al-sadrs-resignation-lead-clashes-in-iraq-511334">Explainer: How political crisis and Al-Sadr's resignation lead to clashes in Iraq</a>

According to the local media reports, the military ended up using stun grenades and tear gas in order to contain the crowd and in the process, a number of people ended up losing their lives on Monday.&nbsp;

It was a public uproar similar to what the world witnessed in Sri Lanka after the public broke into the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's palace&nbsp;in protests over the economic crisis in the country.&nbsp;

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Right now: 
Sadrist protestors swimming in the presidential palace pool.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Baghdad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Baghdad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iraq?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Iraq</a> <a href="https://t.co/H20wUVsHgb">pic.twitter.com/H20wUVsHgb</a>
— Suhad Talabany (@TalabanySuhad) <a href="https://twitter.com/TalabanySuhad/status/1564240793686138884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The similarities did not end there as Iraqi protestors were pictured cooling down in the pool – something that also happened when the protestors in Sri Lanka jumped into Rajapaksa’s&nbsp;pool in Colombo.&nbsp;

The conflict was caused by Iraq’s political crisis as the country has been without a stable government for more than 10 months – the longest since the United States attacked the country in 2003.

The parties were unable to find a solution after Al-Sadr’s bloc became the biggest faction in parliament but fell short of securing a majority in last year’s elections. &nbsp;The pro-Iran Coordination Framework picked&nbsp;Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as the Prime Minister but the protestors were not pleased. &nbsp;

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The violent protests in Iraq got worse on Monday as the clashes between the country’s forces and Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's followers ended up claiming 15 lives and injuring over a hundred people.

The violent protests in Iraq got worse on Monday as the clashes between the country’s forces and Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's followers ended up claiming 15 lives and injuring over a hundred people. The protesters were already staging sit-ins in front of the Presidential palace in Baghdad and the news of Al-Sadr quitting politics amidst the ongoing political crisis prompted them to break into the Green Zone. Also read | Explainer: How political crisis and Al-Sadr's resignation lead to clashes in Iraq According to the local media reports, the military ended up using stun grenades and tear gas in order to contain the crowd and in the process, a number of people ended up losing their lives on Monday. It was a public uproar similar to what the world witnessed in Sri Lanka after the public broke into the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's palace in protests over the economic crisis in the country. Right now: Sadrist protestors swimming in the presidential palace pool.#Baghdad #Iraq pic.twitter.com/H20wUVsHgb — Suhad Talabany (@TalabanySuhad) August 29, 2022 × The similarities did not end there as Iraqi protestors were pictured cooling down in the pool – something that also happened when the protestors in Sri Lanka jumped into Rajapaksa’s pool in Colombo. The conflict was caused by Iraq’s political crisis as the country has been without a stable government for more than 10 months – the longest since the United States attacked the country in 2003. The parties were unable to find a solution after Al-Sadr’s bloc became the biggest faction in parliament but fell short of securing a majority in last year’s elections. The pro-Iran Coordination Framework picked Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as the Prime Minister but the protestors were not pleased.

Iraqi protesters take dip in pool after storming presidential palace in Baghdad - WATCH

Two protesters were killed and Iraq declared a nationwide curfew after supporters of Muqtada Al-Sadr stormed the government palace in Baghdad's Green Zone. Molly Gambhir tells you why Iraq could soon descend into a civil war.

WION Fineprint | 2 protesters killed in clashes in Baghdad's Green Zone

Plunging the divided nation into political uncertainty, dozens of lawmakers who make up the biggest bloc in Iraq’s parliament resigned on Sunday amid a prolonged political impasse.

In a move ostensibly designed to up pressure to end an eight-month political paralysis, Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr asked the MPs from his bloc to resign so that space can be created for the establishment of a new government.

Calling his request "a sacrifice from me for the country and the people to rid them of the unknown destiny", Sadr, a populist who has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of both Iran and the United States, also has support from Sunni lawmakers from Halbussi's party and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-ruins-of-hidden-3400-year-old-city-found-after-severe-drought-in-iraq-485639">Also see |&nbsp;In pics - Ruins of hidden 3,400-year-old city found after severe drought in Iraq</a>

Increasing the number of seats it holds in parliament to 73, Sadr's party was the biggest winner in an October general election.

According to Ali Moussawi, a former Shi'ite lawmaker and a political researcher at Baghdad University, "Sadr reached to the point that he accepted the bitter reality that it's nearly impossible to form a government away from the Iranian-backed groups."

With intense negotiations among political factions failing to forge a majority in support of a new prime minister to succeed Mustafa al-Kadhemi, parliament in Baghdad has been in turmoil since October's general election.

Prolonging the war-scarred country's political crisis, Iraqi lawmakers have already exceeded all deadlines for setting up a new government set down in the constitution.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drastic-step-iraq-approves-law-makes-normalising-relations-with-israel-illegal-482483">Also read |&nbsp;Drastic step: Iraq approves law that makes normalising ties with Israel illegal</a>

Claiming to hold a parliamentary majority, Sadr's coalition and his rival the Coordination Framework have said they have the right to appoint the prime minister.

In the near two decades since dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003, over $400 billion had gone missing from state coffers according to official figures published last year.

With neighbouring Iran providing a third of Iraq's gas and electricity needs, Iraq remains dependent on imports to meet energy needs despite its immense oil and gas reserves.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Plunging the divided nation into political uncertainty, dozens of lawmakers who make up the biggest bloc in Iraq’s parliament resigned on Sunday amid a prolonged political impasse.

Plunging the divided nation into political uncertainty, dozens of lawmakers who make up the biggest bloc in Iraq’s parliament resigned on Sunday amid a prolonged political impasse. In a move ostensibly designed to up pressure to end an eight-month political paralysis, Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr asked the MPs from his bloc to resign so that space can be created for the establishment of a new government. Calling his request "a sacrifice from me for the country and the people to rid them of the unknown destiny", Sadr, a populist who has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of both Iran and the United States, also has support from Sunni lawmakers from Halbussi's party and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Also see | In pics - Ruins of hidden 3,400-year-old city found after severe drought in Iraq Increasing the number of seats it holds in parliament to 73, Sadr's party was the biggest winner in an October general election. According to Ali Moussawi, a former Shi'ite lawmaker and a political researcher at Baghdad University, "Sadr reached to the point that he accepted the bitter reality that it's nearly impossible to form a government away from the Iranian-backed groups." With intense negotiations among political factions failing to forge a majority in support of a new prime minister to succeed Mustafa al-Kadhemi, parliament in Baghdad has been in turmoil since October's general election. Prolonging the war-scarred country's political crisis, Iraqi lawmakers have already exceeded all deadlines for setting up a new government set down in the constitution. Also read | Drastic step: Iraq approves law that makes normalising ties with Israel illegal Claiming to hold a parliamentary majority, Sadr's coalition and his rival the Coordination Framework have said they have the right to appoint the prime minister. In the near two decades since dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003, over $400 billion had gone missing from state coffers according to official figures published last year. With neighbouring Iran providing a third of Iraq's gas and electricity needs, Iraq remains dependent on imports to meet energy needs despite its immense oil and gas reserves. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Iraq: Shi'ite Sadrist lawmakers resign from parliament amid impasse

Iraq's parliament on Saturday postponed once again a session to elect the country's new president over a lack of quorum.

It comes as a setback to an alliance led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which won the election.

Sadr&nbsp;had hoped parliament would elect Rebar Ahmed, a veteran Kurdish intelligence official and current interior minister of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region.

But the lack of a quorum, set at two-thirds of the house's 329 members, held up the vote for the second time since February, deepening war-scarred Iraq's political uncertainty.

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"It is a storm in a cup. Today is a good proof that the party that had claimed that it has the majority had failed to achieve it. It is a bad situation getting worse" said Farhad Alaaldin, chairman of the Iraq Advisory Council, a policy research institute.

Only 202 lawmakers showed up for the latest vote and a new session had to be scheduled for Wednesday.

Following the session, parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi said the "lack of a quorum forces us to continue holding sessions until it is achieved", the state-owned Iraqi News Agency reported.

A win for Sadr's allies would threaten to exclude Tehran's allies from power for the first time in years.

The delay prolongs a bitter deadlock in Iraqi politics months after an October general election from which Sadr emerged the biggest winner, with his Shi'ite, pro-Iran rivals receiving a hammering at the polls.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tehran-warned-iraq-often-about-threats-posed-to-iran-foreign-ministry-462111">Also read |&nbsp;Tehran warned Iraq often about threats posed to Iran: Foreign ministry</a>

On February 13, Iraq's supreme court ruled out a presidential bid by KDP-backed veteran politician Hoshyar Zebari, after a complaint filed against him over years-old, untried corruption charges.

Sadr, a Shi'ite cleric, has pledged to form a government that would exclude key Iranian allies that have long dominated the state, a red line for those parties and militias and the first time they would not have a cabinet place since 2003.

The candidates put forward for president in the months since the election have been viewed by Iran-aligned groups as Western-leaning and a threat to their interests. 
An attempt to secure the post for Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari, a former foreign minister, failed when Iraq's Supreme Court last month banned his candidacy of over alleged corruption charges that had resurfaced. Zebari, who was backed by Sadr and allies of Sadr, denies the charges.

A first vote in parliament on February 7 failed to materialise as it was widely boycotted amid the Zebari legal wrangle.

Saturday's failed session underscored the sharp divide in Iraqi politics between Sadr, the general election's big winner, and the powerful Coordination Framework, which had called for a boycott.

The Coordination Framework includes the pro-Iran Fatah Alliance -- the political arm of the Shiite-led former paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Iraq's parliament on Saturday postponed once again a session to elect the country's new president over a lack of quorum. It comes as a setback to an alliance led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which won the election.

Iraq's parliament on Saturday postponed once again a session to elect the country's new president over a lack of quorum. It comes as a setback to an alliance led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which won the election. Sadr had hoped parliament would elect Rebar Ahmed, a veteran Kurdish intelligence official and current interior minister of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region. But the lack of a quorum, set at two-thirds of the house's 329 members, held up the vote for the second time since February, deepening war-scarred Iraq's political uncertainty. "It is a storm in a cup. Today is a good proof that the party that had claimed that it has the majority had failed to achieve it. It is a bad situation getting worse" said Farhad Alaaldin, chairman of the Iraq Advisory Council, a policy research institute. Only 202 lawmakers showed up for the latest vote and a new session had to be scheduled for Wednesday. Following the session, parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi said the "lack of a quorum forces us to continue holding sessions until it is achieved", the state-owned Iraqi News Agency reported. A win for Sadr's allies would threaten to exclude Tehran's allies from power for the first time in years. The delay prolongs a bitter deadlock in Iraqi politics months after an October general election from which Sadr emerged the biggest winner, with his Shi'ite, pro-Iran rivals receiving a hammering at the polls. Also read | Tehran warned Iraq often about threats posed to Iran: Foreign ministry On February 13, Iraq's supreme court ruled out a presidential bid by KDP-backed veteran politician Hoshyar Zebari, after a complaint filed against him over years-old, untried corruption charges. Sadr, a Shi'ite cleric, has pledged to form a government that would exclude key Iranian allies that have long dominated the state, a red line for those parties and militias and the first time they would not have a cabinet place since 2003. The candidates put forward for president in the months since the election have been viewed by Iran-aligned groups as Western-leaning and a threat to their interests. An attempt to secure the post for Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari, a former foreign minister, failed when Iraq's Supreme Court last month banned his candidacy of over alleged corruption charges that had resurfaced. Zebari, who was backed by Sadr and allies of Sadr, denies the charges. A first vote in parliament on February 7 failed to materialise as it was widely boycotted amid the Zebari legal wrangle. Saturday's failed session underscored the sharp divide in Iraqi politics between Sadr, the general election's big winner, and the powerful Coordination Framework, which had called for a boycott. The Coordination Framework includes the pro-Iran Fatah Alliance -- the political arm of the Shiite-led former paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi. (With inputs from agencies)

Iraq presidential vote delayed again over lack of quorum

Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr has emerged as the biggest winner of Iraq's parliamentary election. This was the 5th election since America overthrew Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein. But Iraqis say their lives have not changed since 2003. Most of them chose not to vote. WION's Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas | Iraq Polls: Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr emerges as the biggest winner

Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's party as per initial results in Iraq's parliamentary polls is being seen as the greatest winner, Sadrists claim the largest bloc in Iraq.

Initial results of Iraq's parliamentary polls out, celebrations and fireworks in Baghdad

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