Iran welcomes nomination of Iraq’s new PM-designate

Spokesman Abbas Mousavi made the remarks on Thursday after President Barham Salih named Mustafa al-Kadhimi, director of Iraq's National Intelligence Service, as the new prime minister-designate and tasked him with forming a new government in a month.
“The Islamic Republic has invariably supported independence, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political stability in Iraq, and considers formation of consensus among all of its political movements through democratic pathways to be the only peaceful solution for all differences,” Mousavi said.
Iran, therefore, perceives the current consensus that has led to al-Kadhimi’s appointment to be “a right step in the right direction,” he added.
Tehran wishes al-Kadhimi success in fulfilling his duty to form a new government that would meet the demands of the Iraqi people and religious sources of emulation, and would award the country stability and integrity as well as its deserved standing as a state of importance on the regional and international stages, the spokesman noted.
Al-Kadhimi was tapped as the new premier after predecessor Adnan al-Zurfi announced he was withdrawing his bid.
Iraq has been without a government since last November when former prime minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi resigned amid protests against corruption and misuse of the country’s resources.
Mousavi said Tehran, as before, declares its readiness to cooperate with Baghdad in its efforts to put standing problems behind it and realize its public and religious authorities’ requests.