Iraq's acting Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi toured southern areas bordering Iran, less than a week after he announced he was stepping down from office.
Iraq’s premiership remains vacant after the government of Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi failed to receive the parliament’s vote of confidence, following Abdul Mahdi’s resignation.
Abdul Mahdi announced last week his “voluntary absence” from his position as acting prime minister and delegating one of his deputies.
Wearing a mask, the acting Prime Minister traveled to the southern governorates, which recorded the highest rate of coronavirus cases.
Some political parties and observers in Baghdad interpreted his visit as a maneuver to get back in office or maintain the current status, if Shiite blocs did not agree on a candidate during the remainder of the new constitutional period.
Iraq recorded so far 38 cases of the coronavirus and two deaths.
Abdul Mahdi began his tour in Baghdad International Airport and moved to the southern provinces, starting with the Shalamche Iraqi-Iranian border crossing, until he reached al-Faw port.
The media office of the Prime Minister announced in a statement that at the airport, Abdul-Mahdi was briefed on the preventive measures taken to stop the transmission of coronavirus between travelers. He urged airport staff to be strict in applying health recommendations.
In Basra, Abdul Mahdi was briefed on the preventive measures taken on the border with Iran at the Shalamche crossing to limit the virus spread. He also visited the new Turkish hospital building and discussed with officials the possibility of allocating a quarantine ward to treat people infected with the coronavirus.
MP of Iraqi Forces Alliance Abdullah al-Kharbit told Asharq al-Awsat that the rapid developments regarding coronavirus led to Abdul Mahdi’s tour, not his need for political marketing.
Kharbit noted that the spread of the emerging disease, new cases, and the situation on the borders with Iran forced the prime minister to act and check on the measures taken by health institutions.
A politician close to the matter told Asharq al-Awsat there are Kurdish, Sunni, and Shiite parties who want to bring Abdul Mahdi back as prime minister.
Iraqi political and former MP Haidar al-Mulla told Asharq Al-Awsat that the sudden appearance of Abdul Mahdi days after his “voluntary absence,” cannot be interpreted as an “attempt to re-brand himself.”
The problem Mulla believes is finding a way to bring Abdul Mahdi back as a prime minister after announcing his resignation earlier.
MP of Fatah Hussein Arab told Asharq al-Awsat that the candidates discussed now are the same mentioned before, some of which were rejected. He explained that the issue is not with the candidates, rather with each bloc’s stance on that candidate.
