Shafaq News– Baghdad

On Wednesday, the Huqooq Movement, the political wing of Kataib Hezbollah armed group, rejected comments by US President Donald Trump opposing the nomination of former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, urging Iraqi political forces to defend the “country’s sovereign right” to choose its next government without foreign pressure.

In a statement, Huqooq said Trump’s remarks “undermine the right of the Iraqi people and their political forces to select a prime minister free of dictates and pressure,” adding that they reveal “the true face of US policy when it collides with the will of nations.”

The movement said the comments expose the inconsistency of political actors who claim to champion Iraqi sovereignty while maintaining what they describe as “balanced friendships” with Washington. The premiership, it stressed, is “a purely sovereign Iraqi matter,” to be decided exclusively through constitutional mechanisms and national will, “not external messages, lobbying deals, or cross-border interests.”

Huqooq called on the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), the largest parliamentary bloc, of which Al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition (SLC) is a member, and other national forces to “assume their historic responsibilities,” confront any attempt to dilute independent decision-making, and unify positions to safeguard state dignity and the democratic process.

The statement urged using the controversy to reinforce sovereignty and strict adherence to constitutional procedures in filling senior state posts, warning that narrow political interests risk exposing the state to “humiliation and erosion of sovereignty.” It concluded, “Iraq is not an open arena for others’ experiments and will be governed only by the will of its people.”

The response comes amid mounting domestic backlash to Trump’s comments. Earlier today, the Islamic Dawa Party, to which Al-Maliki belongs, warned CF against opening “a breach” in its decision that could deepen instability, invoking memories of bombings and assassinations. Al-Maliki, meanwhile, said he “categorically rejects” Trump’s remarks and will continue his bid based on the Framework’s decision.

Yesterday, Trump stated that Al-Maliki’s return “should not be allowed,” accusing him of presiding over a period in which Iraq “slid into poverty and chaos.” He warned the United States would halt assistance if Al-Maliki were re-elected, saying it would undermine Iraq’s chances for “success, prosperity, or freedom.”

CF announced, on January 24, nominating Al-Maliki to form the next government, setting off a renewed political standoff as reactions continue to mount.

Read more: Nouri Al-Maliki’s return rekindles Iraq’s divisions as Iran and the US pull apart