Al-Sadr signals return with the banner of rebranded movement becomes public: source
Shafaq News/ A source close to influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Monday said a new banner promoted by the "Leader's Minister" signifies Muqtada al-Sadr's potential return to Iraqi politics.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that the banner made public on social media by al-Sadr's self-proclaimed aide, Saleh Mohammed al-Iraqi (nicknamed Leader's Minister), will reportedly serve as the official emblem of the Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM,) assuring that the banner's design, incorporating the three colors of the Iraqi flag, "does not aim to replace the national symbol."
The source added that al-Sadr's official return to politics is "a matter of time," with preparations underway, but the Sadrists haven't formally proposed early elections. "There have also been no recent political discussions with other parties regarding this issue," the source said.
Al-Iraqi posted the banner on the "X" platform earlier this week. It was described as the logo for the newly formed Patriotic Shiite Movement.
In April 2024, al-Sadr announced the name change from the Sadrist Movement to the Patriotic Shiite Movement.
Al-Sadr has a history of engaging in Iraqi politics, withdrawing, and re-entering the scene. His influence stems from both his family's historical significance in Shiite Islam and his ability to mobilize support among marginalized communities.
This possible resurgence holds significant implications not only for Iraq's internal dynamics but also for regional stability.
On 18 March, Al-Sadr unexpectedly visited Iraq's top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, at his house in the holy city of Najaf. Although there were no official statements on their conversation, some Iraqi sources said that the latter had given the green light for al-Sadr to return to the Iraqi political arena.
The mercurial leader has taken several steps since the visit that might indicate his possible return to politics, including reactivating his parliamentary bloc after he had frozen it following his "quitting politics" strategy. He also instructed his Saraya al-Salam paramilitary group to be vigilant and activated a special institution tasked with reaching out to the public.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in Iraq by late 2025. However, some Iraqi politicians have called for an early vote.
Shiite and non-Shiite forces are either awaiting or indirectly pushing al-Sadr to reassert his previous demand for early elections, as has been his custom in the past two years.
