Iraqi sources have revealed new details about a visit by Iranian Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani to Baghdad on April 18, which coincided with U.S. messages regarding the shape of Iraq’s next government.
Qaani met with a group of leaders from the Coordination Framework, the ruling Shiite coalition, including State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki and National Wisdom Movement leader Ammar al-Hakim, as the coalition struggled to agree on a nominee for prime minister before the constitutional deadline expires.
The unannounced visit came at a sensitive time marked by sharp political tensions in Iraq over relations with Washington and efforts to reorganize alliances within the Shiite political camp, alongside increasing regional and international pressure.
According to information obtained by Alhurra, Qaani also met with leaders of armed factions. An Iraqi intelligence source told Alhurra that “the visit was secured by an elite group within the armed factions. Qaani arrived by land and departed by land as well.”
No details of the visit were disclosed to the media at the time — no photographs, video footage, or statements from Coordination Framework leaders. However, two days later, Iraqi local media outlets published the text of a message attributed to the Iranian official regarding his visit.
According to the message, Qaani said, “My visit to Baghdad is a gesture of thanks from Iran’s people and leadership to the Iraqi people and their religious authority. Iraq is too important for foreign interference.”
Alhurra contacted several members of the Coordination Framework, but most said they were unaware of the visit or its details. The visit is believed to have been limited to a small number of figures, possibly for security reasons.
A senior figure in the Coordination Framework told Alhurra that “Qaani urged Shiite leaders to maintain cohesion within the Framework. He stressed the importance of this political formation and said Iran would support whatever decision they take regarding the prime ministerial nominee.”
Qaani’s visit appears to be an attempt to coordinate the actions of armed factions and political forces under the Coordination Framework umbrella, particularly following events that preceded a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, when Shiite factions and U.S. forces exchanged fire.
According to the same Framework leader, Qaani carried messages from Tehran emphasizing the importance of a “unified stance” on strategic issues, foremost among them ending the presence of the international coalition in Iraq.
Mustafa al-Naji, a political science professor at the University of Baghdad, said the visit reflects, in part, “an effort to balance external intervention in the government formation process between the two wings inside the Coordination Framework.”
Al-Naji, a specialist in regional affairs, added: “While Washington is pushing for a path that excludes factions from the political equation, Tehran is seeking to protect its allies.”
There are clear divisions within the Coordination Framework. One faction favors escalation on the ground to pressure Washington, while another — represented by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and al-Hakim — sees de-escalation as the only way to keep Iraq out of war.
Two sources — one from the Reconstruction and Development Coalition led by al-Sudani and another from the State of Law Coalition led by al-Maliki — told Alhurra that “Qaani’s visit aimed to bridge differences among Framework leaders over selecting the next prime minister.”
According to the two sources, Qaani spoke about the need to unify positions on critical regional issues, in reference to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
A source from the State of Law Coalition said: “U.S. messages have reshuffled the Framework’s calculations. There were plans to move forward with a prime ministerial nominee, but Washington sent strong signals and pressured Baghdad, particularly regarding halting the flow of dollars into Iraq.”
Following Qaani’s visit, Iraqi local media outlets and prominent bloggers circulated reports that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack had arrived in Baghdad. However, sources in the prime minister’s office and the Foreign Ministry denied those reports in statements to Alhurra.
The Iranian official’s visit also added confusion to the political scene. While the Coordination Framework had been preparing on April 19 to announce its nominee to form the government, it failed to do so. Some observers believe Qaani’s visit played a role in that outcome, in what al-Naji described as an effort to “protect its allies.”
A political adviser in al-Sudani’s office told Alhurra that “Qaani’s visit was merely a show of presence. He wanted to say, ‘We are here.’”
Iraqi political analyst Najm al-Qassab said Qaani also sought to demonstrate “that he is not concerned about U.S. assassinations of Revolutionary Guard leaders.” He added: “Qaani also wanted to make clear to Framework leaders the need to resolve the prime minister position, as continued paralysis within the Framework sends an unsettling message.”
Ultimately, the Coordination Framework failed to select an alternative candidate to its initial nominee, al-Maliki, who faces internal objections and an explicit U.S. veto expressed by President Donald Trump.
Framework leaders had been scheduled to meet Wednesday to resolve the issue, but the meeting was postponed until Friday, and possibly later, according to a source within the coalition.
Earlier, the 12 Framework leaders met Monday but failed to reach an agreement amid sharp divisions over the selection mechanism.
The source said al-Maliki refused to withdraw his candidacy and instead proposed an alternative nominee, Basem al-Badri, head of the Accountability and Justice Commission, while rejecting al-Sudani’s bid for a second term.
Meanwhile, al-Sudani nominated his chief of staff, Ihsan al-Awadi, for the position. A vote within the Framework resulted in a 6-6 split between the two candidates, the source added.
Notably, this tie among Framework leaders does not reflect their relative strength in parliament.
The Coordination Framework holds about 187 seats in parliament. Its leaders’ representation ranges from having no members to holding four seats, while some control as many as 50 seats.
Initially, the Framework had agreed to select a candidate who secured a two-thirds majority (eight out of 12 leaders). However, after Wednesday’s meeting, discussions emerged about applying the two-thirds threshold based on the number of parliamentary seats as well.
“This new mechanism has complicated matters and made it difficult for the Coordination Framework to choose a candidate by Friday, due to the need for further dialogue and consensus among them,” the source said.
Complicating matters further are U.S. measures to halt dollar shipments to Iraq and suspend security cooperation, which Washington has linked to the formation of a new government independent of Iranian influence, according to Iraqi officials who previously spoke to Alhurra.
“Currently, there are two camps within the Coordination Framework — one aligned with al-Maliki and his candidate, with about 50 lawmakers, and another aligned with al-Sudani and his candidate, with around 110 lawmakers,” the source said.
“Most of the Framework prefers consensus, but if no agreement is reached, we will move toward a majority option without exceeding the limits set by the Iraqi constitution,” the source added.
“The most important factor is that the candidate gains international acceptance, not just domestic support. Framework leaders are taking into account what happened with al-Maliki,” the source concluded.
Under Article 76(1) of Iraq’s 2005 constitution, the president must task the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a government within 15 days of the president’s election.
Nizar Amidi was elected president on April 10, giving the Coordination Framework until April 25 to present its nominee for prime minister.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
Mustafa Saadoon
Mustafa Saadoon is an Iraqi journalist who has worked for several international and Arab media organizations. He covers politics and human rights.
Ghassan Taqi
A journalist specializing in Iraqi affairs, he has worked with the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) since 2015. He previously spent several years with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as well as various Iraqi and Arab media outlets.
