Sunnis playing a more active role on Iraq’s political stage

Islam Mohamed

Iraq’s political forces are undergoing some transformations against the background of tensions between the United States and Iran.

There is confusion within the Iraqi Shiite house, mainly because over rivalry over leadership between Iraqi Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani, on one hand, and Iran’s backers, on the other. Some factions allied to Sisitani had already defected from the paramilitary group, Popular Mobilization Forces, in protest against Iranian control of it.

This is opening the door for new alliances between these defecting factions and Sunni factions. The Sunni factions try to escape marginalization and defend themselves against harassment by pro-Iran militias, commanded by the Revolutionary Guard Corpse.

Talks have already been held between the defecting Shiite factions and the Sunni factions in Anbar, Nineveh and western Saladin, according to media reports.

This came after the Iraqi Hezbollah militia raided homes in areas controlled by the Sunni factions in the western Iraqi city of Qa’im.

Meanwhile, there are debates on the Iraqi political stage now, against the background of attempts by Khamis al-Khenjer, a Sunni businessman allied to Iran, to form a new political groups.

Called the “Liberated Cities Coalition,” the new group will try to contest the leadership of the Sunni stage which is now controlled by Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbosi.

Halbosi’s leadership of the Sunni stage was manifest in the past few weeks during consultations over the formation of the new Iraqi government.

Khenjer enjoys support from ten Iraqi lawmakers as well as some ministers, including former minister of electricity Qasem al-Fahdawi, and former minister of education Mohamed Eqbal.

The ten lawmakers make up 50% of the number of Sunni lawmakers in the Iraqi parliament.