Recent Agreement between Erbil and Baghdad Part of Regional Shifts between Saudi Arabia and Iran

Shafaq News/ The recent agreement between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil to pay the salaries of Kurdistan Region employees is part of a deal approved by the Coordination Framework (CF) in a side reflection of the settlement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Political sources told Asharq Awasat Newspaper.

The CF leaders reportedly welcomed the settlement of outstanding issues with the Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Masoud Barzani, given the rapid shifts in the Iranian decision after the agreement with Riyadh.

However, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, may not allow the Framework to move forward in changing the rules away from his influence.

The lack of political balance within the Shiite environment prompted forces and parties to move to form an electoral alliance that might participate in the provincial council elections and later in the parliamentary elections. These new moves coincide with what the Newspaper's sources describe as "Sadr's awakening," amid expectations that the Sadrist movement will find in a third Shiite force an opportunity to play a behind-the-scenes role to undermine the expansion of the Coordination Framework, which is trying to benefit from both the region's changes and tensions.