DUBAI, UAE - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani met with newly elected Speaker of Parliament Mahmoud al-Mashhadani on Sunday, marking their first official meeting since Mashhadani’s election as Speaker of Parliament last Thursday.

In a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Sudani congratulated Mashhadani on his new role, calling his election “an important constitutional achievement that will bolster Iraq’s political and social stability.”

Sudani added that the event “underscores our commitment to democratic values shared by all political factions in Iraq.”

Sudani emphasized the importance of collaboration between Iraq’s executive and legislative branches, stating that “close cooperation will be essential in implementing the government’s agenda and in meeting the needs of Iraqi citizens across various sectors.”

The Prime Minister further highlighted the role of this cooperation in advancing critical reforms, particularly in the areas of economic growth and public security. “Together, our unified efforts will pave the way to meet the aspirations of our people, ensuring stability and progress on all fronts,” he stated.

Separately, the media office for State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki reported that he also met with Mashhadani to congratulate him on his new role.

Maliki “expressed his wishes for success in accomplishing the tasks ahead,” emphasizing the need for enhanced legislative action, political cooperation, and a focus on passing laws in the public interest and for Iraq’s long-term benefit, according to the statement.

For his part, Mashhadani thanked Maliki for his support and affirmed Parliament's commitment to moving forward with its duties, commending Maliki’s ongoing support for Iraq's democratic process, highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing the country’s needs.

Mashhadani was elected as Iraq’s new parliamentary Speaker on Thursday, securing 181 votes in a decisive run-off against Salem al-Issawi, who received only 42 votes.

Mashhadani, 76, previously served as Speaker from 2006 to 2008 and emerged victorious after a year-long parliamentary stalemate.

Since November 2023, Iraq’s Parliament had been under the temporary leadership of Acting Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi, following the court-ordered removal of former Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi.

With the backing of the Shiite Coordination Framework, Mashhadani ultimately prevailed over five contenders, though he had previously faced a tight race against Issawi in May, where disruptions and factional conflicts prolonged the selection process and fueled calls for reforms to ease the Speaker election procedures.