The spotlight has once again returned to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who survived an "attempted assassination" early yesterday morning, reminding everyone of the previous skirmishes in his relationship with some factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces loyal to Iran. Who is this government leader who has angered the militias in the country multiple times?
Born in Baghdad in 1967, al-Kadhimi assumed the presidency of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service in June 2016, during the height of the battles against ISIS. During his time in this strategic position, which kept him out of the limelight, he established numerous connections with dozens of countries and agencies operating within the international coalition led by the United States.
### Journalist and Activist
In his early years, al-Kadhimi, who studied law in Iraq, was a journalist and an activist opposing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from Europe, where he sought refuge from the former regime. He lived for years in exile but did not join any of the Iraqi political parties.
### Surprise of 2016
After the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, he returned to Iraq to help establish the Iraqi Media Network, coinciding with his role as the executive director of the "Iraqi Memory Foundation," an organization established to document the crimes of the Baath regime. The surprise came in 2016 when he was appointed by former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to head the intelligence agency.
### Prominent Negotiator and Cunning Player
During his time in intelligence, al-Kadhimi developed his skills as a negotiator and mediator, in addition to his role in combating terrorism and various forms of smuggling. Commenting on his abilities, a politician close to him told AFP, "Al-Kadhimi has a personality that does not confront anyone, a pragmatic mindset, and good relationships with all the key players in the Iraqi arena, a good relationship with the Americans, and a relationship that has recently returned to normal with the Iranians." For his part, Toby Dodge, director of studies at the Middle East Institute at the London School of Economics, described him as "a prominent negotiator and a cunning player." After assuming the Iraq premiership in May 2020, he visited Saudi Arabia, where he was seen embracing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for an extended time.
### Accusations from the PMF Factions
While several Western observers believe that al-Kadhimi "embodies the return of a sovereign Iraqi state," Iran-aligned factions have repeatedly accused him in the past of complicity in the assassination of Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani. He has faced opposition from the Popular Mobilization Forces on several occasions, starting with the issue of the withdrawal of foreign, particularly American, forces from the country, to the arrest of several individuals involved in the assassination of activists, and up to recently questioning the results of the parliamentary elections held in the country on October 10, which did not satisfy those Iran-aligned factions, who saw a significant decrease in their parliamentary seats.
Yesterday, they emphasized their firm rejection of his assumption of the government again, noting that he is not an official candidate for the position. However, some political officials still see him as a solution in case negotiations between political forces falter.
