Iraqi pro-Tehran militias 'will target' politicians attending reconciliation conference

Iraq's pro-Tehran militias and radical parties are threatening to drive a wedge between Sunni and Shia groups taking part in an UN-backed reconciliation conference that will shape the country following the defeat of the Islamic State group.

The conference, scheduled for 15 July, was announced by parliament speaker Salim al-Jabouri in an interview published by The New Arab's Arabic service on Saturday and looks at establishing national dialogue and lasting peace between Iraq's Sunni and Shia populations.

It is the first meeting of its kind in Iraq and will bring together rival political factions and militias who have engaged in a long and bloody sectarian-driven war since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.

It will also look to map out the future of the country once the Islamic State group is defeated in Mosul and its last pockets in western Iraq. Key to this will be bringing suspicious Sunni groups into the fold for next year's general election.

Senior government officials told The New Arab that the conference will aim at establishing a political consensus between Sunni and Shia groups, and destroy the sectarian legacy of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The pro-Tehran former premier resigned following the collapse of the Iraqi army in the face of the 2014 IS offensive, but he still commands strong support in Iraq's ruling coalition.

A senior Iraqi government official is currently meeting with Sunni figures in Jordan to help end the deadlock.

He told The New Arab that despite the current inter-Gulf tensions both Qatar and Saudi Arabia backed the conference, but the UAE has expressed reservations about the participation of Muslim Brotherhood figures in the Sunni bloc.

"Gulf states are supporting the conference in order to put an end to Sunni political divisions and force leading figures to stop moving around in other countries and return to Baghdad to participate in the political process," he said.

"The success of the conference will lead to a number of decisions that will serve Iraq's interests, including holding a donors conference to rebuild Sunni cities and reopen embassies."

So far, 74 figures have agreed to take part, including figures known for their opposition to Iran and Tehran-backed Iraqi militias, as well as MPs and politicians mostly from the Iraqi Islamic Party (the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Iraq).

The success of the conference will lead to a number of decisions that will serve Iraq's interests, including holding a donors conference to rebuild Sunni cities and reopen embassies.

But pro-Iran militias and parties have vowed to target the conference and even arrest participants coming from Jordan and Turkey upon arrival at Baghdad airport.

"The opponents of the conference, mostly linked to Iran, do not want Sunnis as partners, but as subordinates or enemies," one of the participants told The New Arab.

"They want figures who praise [Iranian leader] Khamenei as a measure of Iraqi patriotism, which will not happen," he added.

"Either we are partners or we will not participate in the political process."

According to one government official, preparations for the conference are underway despite the threats.

Prime Minister Haidar Abadi is said to be responsible for protecting Sunni figures who come to Baghdad from  the Iranian-linked militias.

If this is not successful, the opposition figures could be hoisted in the Kurdish city of Erbil and participate in the conference via video link.

Iraq descended into a bloodshed and chaos following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, pitting Sunnis against Shias with scores of bombings, kidnappings and murders each week.

Many analysts have blamed the Iraqi government's oppressive measures against the Arab Sunni population for the rise of IS in 2014 and say lasting peace cannot be acheived without answering their grievances.