Qaani Visits Al-Kadhimi and Salih, Calls for Calm and Stability

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Al Mayadeen sources briefed that IRGC Quds Force Commander, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, has arrived in Baghdad, Sunday night. This came in light of the recent assassination attempt on Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi through a drone.

The sources reported that Qaani met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and the Iraqi ministers, as well as other officials, during which he stressed Iraq's need for "stability and the preservation of unity." 

General Qaani stressed the need to "avert actions which threaten the stability of Iraq" and to meet "the demands of the people and the opposing voices, legally."

The Iranian General's call for calm comes in light of the tensions mounting from the refusal of some Iraqi political blocs to recognize and accept the parliamentary elections' results, which took place on October 10. This event was followed by protests which caused deaths and injuries. 

Yesterday, al-Kadhimi affirmed the success in "fulfilling the demands of the people, religious authorities, and protestors in holding early elections, providing everything that the Electoral Commission requested." He continued, "The results of the elections, the complaints, and the appeals are not within the direct responsibility of the government; our duty is rather focused on financial and security matters to conduct the elections."

The Prime Minister said, "We prevented the country from falling into a regional war; we were able to bring the country to safety," adding, "We fought against corruption, and we will not stop pursuing the corrupt; we will not mediate for them, and they will not escape justice."

Regarding the events that took place with the protesters in front of the Green Zone last Friday, he said, "We ordered an immediate investigation into it, and we will put the violators behind bars and bring them to justice because we do not differentiate between Iraqis."