Ali al-Zobeidi told the Mehr News Agency on Sunday that after the candidate list of the Unified Iraqi Alliance was announced by Shia leaders and politicians, al-Shaalan asked for his name to be placed on the list, but the religious leaders strongly opposed the suggestion due to the minister’s past record of suppressing Shias during the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.
According to al-Zobeidi, who recently met the Shia leaders, al-Shaalan’s name was placed on the list of the Iraqis’ Party headed by Iraqi interim President Qazi al-Yawer after he miserably failed in his attempt to get his name on the Unified Iraqi Alliance list.
Formerly a strong supporter of the defunct Baath Party and having close ties with the occupied forces in order to marginalize the Shias, al-Shaalan has resorted to airing baseless charges against Iran through the Arab media.
After his name was rejected, he adopted a hostile position toward the Shia leaders but, fearing the people, he has avoided directly attacking the ulema, al-Zobeidi said.
He went on to say that al-Shaalan is known as the new Said al-Sahaf (Comical Ali) of Iraq, adding that nobody takes his statements seriously and he is even ridiculed by Iraqi political leaders.
Pointing to al-Shaalan’s cooperation with the toppled Iraqi regime and the Western intelligence agencies, al-Zobeidi noted that the interim defense minister has come under severe criticism by religious and political figures for appointing former Baathists to key defense posts but Prime Minister Iyad Allawi is unable to sack him due to pressure by the United States.
Al-Zobeidi said al-Shaalan’s accusations against Iran will fade away after the Iraqi general election.
MS/HG
End
MNA
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