Ibrahim Jaafari, who announced his candidacy for the prime ministry. The British newspaper, The Guardian wrote that prominent secular and liberal groups have declared Jaafari as "persona non grata" due to his "drawbacks on secularism and his links with Iran". The news report indicated that these groups gather "behind closed doors" and have initiated a campaign of an "embargo against Jaafari". The newspaper also drew attention to the possibility of an opposition also appearing against Jaafari within the Shiite alliance, if the political situation in the country worsens. Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, leader of the secular Shiites, also pointed out the drawbacks of efforts to involve religious rulers into political life and verbally attacked the Shiite leader Ali Sistani last weekend. The article wrote that Jaafari has guaranteed to the separation of state and religious affairs, and The Guardian noted that despite this, the government, with the majority of which will consist of Shiites, would also deepen the divisions in the country.
The British newspaper also revealed that an opposition group within the Shiite alliance has also appeared within the framework of the anti-Jaafari campaign. It was emphasized in the report that this group is anxious, based on the assumption that the two important parties of the Shiite alliance, the Dawa Party and the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SCIRI), has "strong" connections with Iran. It was also reported that the group consists of Sunni candidates, who are not pleased with Jaafari within the Shiite alliance.
Meanwhile, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Mesud Barzani announced that Peshmarga forces will no be dissolved. Speaking at a military ceremony in Erbil (Arbil) the other day, Barzani said that Peshmargas are morally important for Kurds and will never be dependent on the Iraqi army. The Kurdish leader explained that they would cooperate with national guardsmen and promised that Peshmargas would never turn into a force pressuring Arabs.