Iraqi PM warns armed groups

A statement by the office of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, quoted him responding to a question over the armed activities and parades,  saying: "We welcome the decision of any armed group to leave their weapons behind and join the political process according to the national reconciliation plan. However, we do not want the return of armed activities and parades". Al-Maliki, warned armed groups of going out and performing military parades in the streets. His warning came three days after the celebration of the Iraqi Special Group known as "Asaib Ahl al-Haq", the League of the Righteous took place in the Karkh, in Kadhimiya district. The celebrations however turned into a small military parade where the group's leaders expressed their opinions on the country's political crisis. Meanwhile, al-Maliki Wednesday blamed "foreign influences" for the protracted political crisis that has seen political blocs opposed to him press for his ouster. Maliki's remarks came as the spokesman for the political movement loyal to powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, said neighbouring Iran was working to avoid an oft-mooted parliamentary no-confidence motion against al-Maliki. "Whenever we advance one step, we face new challenges, and foreign influences are not far away from this," Maliki said in a statement without elaborating. "What is happening with the conspiracy targeting the political process and the experience of democracy will end in failure," he added defiantly. Al-Maliki also appeared to criticise parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a leader of the secular mainly Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc that has been sharply opposed to him. "Parliament sessions see a lot of delays in approving laws," Maliki said in the statement. "Isn't this a weakness in the administration of parliament?" Also Wednesday, Sadrist spokesman Salah al-Obeidi said a delegation of senior Sadrist officials was visiting Iran to discuss the political situation in Iraq, "especially the issue of the no-confidence vote against Maliki." "There is Iranian pressure being exerted on some parties in order to avoid that," al-Obeidi said, referring to the no-confidence vote. Al-Obeidi, however, insisted that the Sadrist political bloc, which has around 40 MPs in parliament and five cabinet ministers in the national unity government, would continue to call for a no-confidence motion against al-Maliki. Sadr himself, has previously criticised the premier as a "dictator" hungry for power, and accused him of seeking to postpone or cancel elections.