BAGHDAD, April 20 (Reuters) – The leaders of Iraq’s main Shi’ite Muslim political blocs picked government official Bassem al-Badry as their nominee for the post of prime minister in a meeting on Monday, two Iraqi Shi’ite officials said, though no official announcement was made.
Two other Iraqis familiar with Monday’s meeting of 12 key Shi’ite leaders who make up the Coordination Framework disputed that Badry had been picked during the meeting, saying talks were ongoing.
Another meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, Iraqi state media reported.
Whoever is picked next would replace the CF’s previous choice, veteran politician and two-time Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who was tapped for the job in January but whose candidacy was directly opposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump threatened to withdraw support for Iraq if Maliki, who served two consecutive terms from 2006 to 2014, became prime minister again.
Badry is currently the head of Iraq’s Commission for Accountability and Justice.
(Reporting by Muayad Hameed; Writing by Muhammad Al Gebaly; editing by David Gaffen)
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