“Leave the matter of the Council and Al-Sadr to me.” Soleimani did not tell the truth about Khamenei

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[size=52]“Leave the matter of the Council and Al-Sadr to me.” Soleimani did not tell the truth about Khamenei and Al-Maliki.. from the words of Abdul Mahdi[/size]

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06-21-2024
In his last interview, the prominent Iraqi politician Fakhri Karim reveals details from the consultations to form the Iraqi government in 2010, and highlights the direct Iranian follow-up of developments, especially the former Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani’s insistence on granting former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki A second term, and Karim reveals his frequent trips to Iran to exchange perceptions between the two parties, especially after the name of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi was put forward as a candidate to head the government in 2010. Karim says that Abdul Mahdi confirmed in a private session that “Soleimani’s talk about that the guide of the Islamic Revolution Ali Khamenei prefers Al-Maliki over Abdul-Mahdi, which is not true.” Fakhri Karim traveled to Iran carrying this idea and presented it to Soleimani, but he heard from the latter confirmation that there was unanimous opinion in Iran (between Khamenei and Soleimani) to support Al-Maliki.
According to the testimony, Soleimani asked Karim to return to Baghdad, and reassured him that he would prepare the atmosphere with the parties objecting to the second term, such as the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, and the Supreme Islamic Council, which is what actually happened, according to Karim.[/size]
[size=45]The name “Fakhri Karim” has not been absent from political and cultural activity since the sixties, through the atmosphere of the Iraqi opposition to Saddam Hussein’s regime, in addition to his leftist activity and his movements between exiles in Beirut and Damascus and elsewhere, and he remained an influential player in establishing the post-2003 regime.[/size]
[size=45]In an interview that lasted about two hours for Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, prominent Lebanese journalist Ghassan Charbel worked hard to interrogate his guest in order to cover as much of the positions that remained secret as possible, especially the three meetings with the Grand Ayatollah Sistani.[/size]
[size=45]Part of Fakhri Karim’s speech:
Regarding the formation of the government (2010), I went several times to Iran, and in the stage before the final maturity, to resolve the issue of forming the government and approving Nouri al-Maliki as head of the government and Jalal Talabani as president of the republic.[/size]
[size=45]I went there carrying a question related to what Brother Dr. Adel Abdul Mahdi said because he was the candidate of the Supreme Council and he was accepted as a Kurd by major parties and there was sympathy and support from Sunni and regional parties.[/size]
[size=45]When Abdul Mahdi returned from Tehran the last time, he visited President Talabani and we met with him. He said, “What Qassem Soleimani says about Iran supporting Nouri al-Maliki and not me is incorrect, because I was informed that the leader supports me.”[/size]
[size=45]We became confused after what Abdul Mahdi said, especially since we implicitly sympathized with his candidacy even if we did not announce it, and Talabani favored Abdul Mahdi, as did Brother Masoud.[/size]
[size=45]They asked me to go to Iran and investigate the situation, so I went there and met the deceased Soleimani and he received me warmly. The translator was the deceased Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, so I told Soleimani that brother Adel Abdul Mahdi says that the Supreme Leader supports him and that what you are saying is not accurate.[/size]
[size=45]Soleimani replied, “If you want to be sure, we can go to the guide and ask him.”[/size]
[size=45]I replied, “Does this make sense? I will trust what you say and I will convey it, but I just want you to be informed.”[/size]
[size=45]Then I told him: The other problem is that the Islamic Supreme Council does not support Al-Maliki, and Muqtada Al-Sadr also has a strict position.[/size]
[size=45]Soleimani replied: We are dealing with the issue with Mr. Muqtada, and I met him and I will meet him. As for the council, leave it to us. We will deal with it.[/size]
[size=45]I told him: How do you treat it? He said, “Go to Baghdad and you will see that the case has been dealt with.”[/size]
[size=45]I replied: I am coming as an envoy from Baghdad and must return with a message.[/size]
[size=45]He said: “You will find that the Supreme Council has changed.”[/size]
[size=45]Indeed, when I returned, the Badr Organization decided to leave the Islamic Supreme Council and joined Nouri al-Maliki. The balance ended and the Islamic Supreme Council became unable to obstruct al-Maliki’s formation of the government.[/size]
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