TEHRAN, Dec. 18 (MNA) – The Iraqi President Barham Salih met and held talks with Iraqi political leaders on Wednesday to choose a new prime minister to form a new government.

The Iraqi President Barham Salih on Monday received a list of candidates to choose one of them as prime minister-designate to form a new government that would replace the caretaker government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, according to Xinhua.

It said that the list is not final and can be changed according to the agreement of the political blocs, and the president will ask a figure for the post of prime minister-designate after he guarantees in advance his approval by the parliament.

On Dec. 1, the Iraqi parliament approved the resignations of Abdul Mahdi and his government and sent a letter about the resignation to President Salih on Dec. 4, and then Salih will have to task a prime minister-designate within a period of 15 days.

The prime minister-designate has 30 days to form a cabinet and present it to parliament for approval. The parliament must approve each minister in separate absolute majority votes.

The current political row came as mass demonstrations have continued in the capital Baghdad and other cities in central and southern Iraq since early October, demanding comprehensive reform, fight against corruption, better public services, and more job opportunities.

MNA/PR