The winner of Iraq's October parliamentary election, Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, on Wednesday met with his rivals from the pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces- PMF) paramilitary alliance ahead of the opening of parliament.
Earlier, the Fatah (Conquest) Alliance, the political arm of the pro-Tehran PMF accused Sadr’s movement of fraud, but Iraq's top court on Monday dismissed their allegations and ratified the election results.
On Wednesday, leaders including Fatah Alliance chief Hadi al-Ameri, senior Hashed official Faleh al-Fayyad and Qais al-Khazali, head of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq force, a key component of the Hashed, were hosted by Sadr at his home in Najaf, according to state news agency INA.
The leaders discussed "the political situation" and the "formation of the next government", INA reported.
Sadr, a political populist, opposes all foreign interference including Iran’s agenda in the country. His movement won more than a fifth of the seats, 73 out of the assembly's total of 329.
