Iraq confirms US threat of sanctions if Maliki returns as PM

Iraq's Foreign Ministry revealed on Thursday that it had received a verbal message from the United States warning of possible sanctions if former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is re-nominated for the premiership, amid mounting tensions over the formation of the next Iraqi government.

In a statement, the ministry sought to clarify remarks made by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in a recent television interview, after media interpretations suggesting there had been no hint of sanctions.

The ministry said the message, delivered to Iraqi officials in Washington, had concerned the insistence of the largest parliamentary bloc, the Shia-led Coordination Framework, on nominating Maliki as its candidate for prime minister.

According to the statement, the US message contained two main elements.

"The first included a clear and explicit hint at the possibility of imposing sanctions on some individuals and institutions," it said.

"The second paragraph included a set of criteria related to the nature of cooperation and joint work with the United States, particularly regarding the formation of any upcoming government and its mechanisms of work," it added.

The ministry said that Hussein's televised remarks had focused only on the second part of the message and did not address the section referring to potential sanctions.

The disclosure comes amid open US opposition to Maliki’s return to office. In recent statements, US officials have described Washington's position as "firm and resolute" and warned that insistence on his nomination could prompt a reassessment of US-Iraq relations.

US President Donald Trump has also criticised Maliki’s previous tenure in office, which lasted from 2006 to 2014, and has hinted at possible consequences if he returns to power.

The US statements have been widely interpreted in Baghdad as a political escalation, increasing pressure on the Coordination Framework, which backs Maliki’s candidacy.

On Wednesday, Abu Turab al-Tamimi, an MP from the Badr bloc within the Coordination Framework, reiterated support for Maliki, saying foreign pressure would not alter the alliance's position.

"Maliki remains the most prominent candidate of the Framework to assume the position of prime minister, and external pressures, foremost among them US pressure, will not change our position regarding this entitlement," he said in a press statement.

Iraqi academic Ghassan al-Halfi said the foreign ministry’s statement had reflected growing domestic and international sensitivity around the issue.

He told The New Arab that formally acknowledging the US message had elevated the matter from informal political debate to an institutional level, signalling the seriousness of the impasse.

"Any hint at sanctions, even if directed at specific individuals or institutions, necessarily affects Iraq’s financial and investment image and weakens the confidence of international partners," Halfi said, adding that the Coordination Framework now faced a difficult choice between maintaining internal unity and avoiding confrontation with Washington.

The controversy comes as the Coordination Framework itself faces internal divisions over Maliki’s nomination.

According to reports in Iraqi media, two recent meetings of alliance leaders were cancelled after Maliki declined to attend, amid discussions among some members about the possibility of withdrawing his candidacy and proposing alternative figures.

Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.