Iraqi political factions including ‘the Accord Front’ and’ Iraqi National List’ and ‘Arabic Faction for National Dialogue’ rejected participating in the luncheon by Jalal Talabani for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Some sources in these factions said that Jalal Talabani had pressured the leaders of these factions to attend the luncheon, but the factions rejected the invitation in protest to Ahmadinejad’s trip to Iraq and his discriminating and fomenting dissension among Iraqis.

Tariq al-Hashemi, Iraqi vice president, also refused to attend the luncheon and to participate in meetings with him.