ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Leader of the Sadrist movement and influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday reiterated his commitment to boycotting Iraq’s upcoming November parliamentary elections.

“#WeAreBoycotting, so whoever wishes to boycott, let them do so... and whoever desires to pursue the lust of power, let them choose that path,” Sadr said in a statement.

“Justice will never be established, nor falsehood repelled, unless the uncontrolled weapons are handed over to the state, the militias are dissolved, the army and police are strengthened, Iraq is made independent and free from foreign control, and there is a sincere effort toward reform and holding the corrupt accountable,” the powerful cleric added.

A source close to Muqtada al-Sadr said in late May that the influential Shiite cleric's political movement may still take part in Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections, despite previously announcing a boycott.

The source told The New Region that while the Independent High Electoral Commission has closed party and coalition registration for the election, Sadr’s movement could still participate legally.

The Sadrist Bloc and the Sairoon Alliance, both affiliated with Sadr, have already registered and have not made changes that would require re-registration.

Iraq is set to hold its parliamentary elections on November 11, 2025, to choose members of the sixth term of the Council of Representatives. Candidate registration for the process was closed in late June, after a window of over a month for election hopefuls to apply for eligibility.

Muqtada al-Sadr, who leads the National Shiite Movement, previously announced his withdrawal from the elections in March. At the time, he called the vote a “crippled electoral process” and said Iraq was “taking its last breaths” under foreign influence and the grip of entrenched powers.

He also urged his followers not to vote or run in the election, saying such participation would support a corrupt system. “We remain loyal to Iraq and will sacrifice our lives for it,” he said.

Despite the boycott announcement, Sadr later instructed his supporters to update their voter registration information, even if they did not plan to vote.

Out of 339 licensed political parties, 114 have shown interest in taking part in the elections. In addition, 66 coalitions are registered with the commission, of which 18 have applied to join the 2025 vote. The IHEC has also approved two new coalitions and registered 13 individual candidate lists.

According to the commission, nearly 30 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, including more than one million who will vote for the first time.