Saleh Mutlaq: Those under Iran’s influence cannot be nationalistic

Al-Alam Newspaper (Iraq): June 20, 2010 – Senior Iraqiya leader Dr. Saleh Mutlaq said that in a meeting with members of European Parliament, he has requested them to pressure the Iranian regime to keep hands off Iraq’s new government formation dossier.
In an interview with the Al-Alam daily, Mutlaq rejected any kinds of support for the reelection of Nouri Maliki as Prime Minister due to his “negative dossier”. Saleh Mutlaq went on to warn Maliki of using public protests and even uprisings to prevent the peaceful transfer of power and influencing Iraqiya’s right to establish government. He added, “When Iraqis went to the polls they voted for change in the current political status and this issue led them to choose Iraqiya.”
Maliki’s record in the past 4 years has been negative and not only has he not fulfilled any important task, yet has brought financial and administrative corruption and arbitrary arrests and tortures to Iraq, he added.
It is up to Maliki and others to accept the election results, Mutlaq continued. “Today many political forces believe that a repeat of Maliki’s era is impossible, since it was not a golden age that we should accept his insistence on keeping his post as the Prime Minister for another four years.”
Mutlaq added: “One who is under the Iranian regime influence cannot be a nationalistic figure and cannot build up an independent nation upon his decisions.”
“It is a complete shame to hear that the Iranian regime’s influence has reached a point that they play a role in the formation of our own government,” he continued.
We expressed our concerns regarding the formation of the Iraqi government and requested the European Parliament to pressure the Iraqi political forces to accelerate the pace in putting an end to the current political vacuum, and also to end the Iranian regime’s meddling in Iraq to influence government formation, Mutlaq added.
Dr. Saleh Mutlaq concluded, “European officials expressed similar concerns regarding Iraq’s future and the political process of the regime. They are also outraged of the reports and intelligence concerning the extent of the Iranian regime’s meddling in Iraq.