Tensions continue to rise in Iraq’s political crisis, with State of Law MP Hussein al-Asadi calling for President Jalal Talabani to be charged as a “terrorist” on the grounds that Vice President Hashemi, who is also being charged as a terrorist, is hiding in Talabani’s home region of Kurdistan.
Talabani’s Kurdistan Alliance bloc has withdrawn from the government already in protest over the attempts to arrest Hashemi, as have the Iraqiya bloc and the Goran bloc. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has so far ignored calls for new elections, and his State of Law bloc appears to plan to continuing ruling without a majority or any mandate for the foreseeable future, and Maliki has said those that withdraw from the government will never again be allowed to participate in the political process.
Despite that, Iraqiya says they do not expect to be excluded from the political process, saying it would be too dangerous for Maliki to try to exclude the largest political bloc from the process.
They also denied reports that they had anything to do with the Iranian government mediation effort, saying Iran had already made clear that Maliki was “their man” and that they don’t intend to send envoys to Tehran to talk with them. Iran has reportedly sent officials to Kurdistan to negotiate with the Kurdish parties, but to no effect.