TEHRAN – Iran on Monday called on Iraqi political factions to respect Iraq’s constitution and legal institutions amid political mutiny in the country. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said developments in Iraq are important to Iran and that Tehran is undertaking efforts to close the gap between Iraq’s political factions. 

Speaking at a regular press conference, Kanaani said, “Iraq’s issues are important to us and we closely and meticulously follow this country’s developments. We are trying to help bring the views of this country’s political parties closer together through [our] positive and constructive contacts with Iraq’s various political factions.”

He added, “We call on all Iraq’s political factions to respect the country’s constitution as a national charter and safeguard the legal institutions of the country.” 

Kanaani noted that calm and stability in Iraq can be achieved through consensus among the political factions. “Communication with Iraqi friends and brothers is continuous and we have never been disconnected and separated. It is done through the Iranian embassy in Baghdad and the exchange of delegations, and this positive and constructive communication exists,” he stated. 

Iraq has been racked by demonstrations and sit-ins over the last few months. Since the October 2021 parliamentary elections, no political factions have been able to put together a government. And the deadlock over government formation has resulted in an acute political polarization. 

The Sadrist movement led by cleric Muqtada Sadr has ordered its lawmakers to resign, a move that further complicated the situation in a country already suffering from political disagreements and lack of national consensus. 

Sadr has called on his followers to hold demonstrations across Iraq on Saturday in what he calls the “last opportunity.” On the other side, Sadr rivals have also moved to hold their own demonstrations.