Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on all winning lists of Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary elections to suspend government formation talks “until the demands made by protesters are met.”
Sadr’s comments came while he discussed the protests in a meeting with the head of the UN’s mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Jan Kubis, in Najaf on Thursday.
The cleric said a serious committee should be formed to work with the government in coordination with protesters in order to fulfill their demands.
Sadr also urged the United Nations to bolster its efforts to support Iraq and its stability, according to a statement from his office.
Protests in Iraq began last July in the city of Basra and later spread to other Iraqi provinces, demanding better access to water, electricity, and jobs.
Sadr said protesters should show self-restraint and not attack public properties amid concerns about outbursts of violence.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi chaired the first meeting of a crisis cell formed to respond to issues raised by the demonstrators.
Shiite cleric Fadel Al-Qurayshi told Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday that the Shiite religious leadership “backs protesters, on condition that they remain peaceful, don't damage public properties and don't confront security forces, who are protecting them.”
Meanwhile, activists called for a million-man demonstration in the capital Baghdad on Friday to demand better services from the government.
The march will kick off from Tahrir Square and head towards the Green Zone, where protesters plan to stage a sit-in.
The Baghdad Operations Command divided the capital into six zones and deployed a significant amount of military and security forces to secure the area.
Friday’s planned protest is reminiscent to demonstrations that saw thousands of protesters entering the heavily fortified Green Zone and occupying the Iraqi parliament building in 2016.
