Lebanon parliament speaker urges Muqtada Sadr to retract his resignation

Shafaq News/ The Lebanese Parliament Speaker called the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, to reverse his decision to withdraw from political life.

Speaking to supporters gathered in south Lebanon to mark the disappearance of the Shiite cleric Imam Moussa al-Sadr 44 years ago, Berri said, "We appreciate Iraq for standing by Lebanon at all stages."

He appealed to Muqtada al-Sadr to retract his resignation and to accept the call of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi for dialogue, "dialogue is the only solution."

"Iraq is the compass for fixing the relations among neighboring countries, and the return of the relations between the Islamic Republic in Iran and Saudi Arabia." Berri, who also heads a prominent Shi'ite Muslim political party, added.

At least 20 people were killed and more than 200 injured in violent clashes erupted in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone following the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's announcement that he was withdrawing from political life.

Later, the armed supporters of Al-Sadr, who clashed with security forces in the capital, began to withdraw from the streets, restoring calm after a severe escalation of the nation's political crisis.

Protesters supporting al-Sadr's rivals also withdrew from their demonstration outside the government zone.