ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the National Shiite Movement, on Monday warned of a looming political escalation by those he called “lovers of power and seekers of seats” as Iraq’s parliamentary elections draw near. He stressed that his movement is prepared to confront such attempts despite its withdrawal from the democratic process.

In a lengthy post on X, Sadr said the upcoming elections will be the first held without his the participation of his movement. He noted that speculation has grown among political rivals about the movement’s intentions.

“Some said the National Shiite Movement will prevent access to ballot boxes by force; others said it will stir up strife so that the atmosphere will not be ready for elections; still others claimed it will mobilize its millions-strong grassroots to flood the streets with protests and demonstrations that could be peaceful, or not,” he wrote. He responded to such claims with an Iraqi proverb, which means, “Those most eager to accuse are often the ones with something to hide.”

Sadr accused rivals of double standards, saying that if the situation were reversed, “they would have done worse.” He charged that some groups prefer no elections at all because they fear losing their current spoils. “It is as if their presence is more important than democracy itself, if it even exists,” he said. He added that despite his movement’s boycott, critics continue to attack it, while what he described as “hollow elections” that enable corrupt politicians to dominate.

The cleric insisted that “only fruitful trees are stoned, and they, of course, have no fruit.” He predicted further escalation by rival blocs but warned they should expect a response. “Your threats will not scare us, and your arrows will not harm us,” he wrote. He predicted that once results are announced, the true conflict will be among the participants themselves.

“The results will be different from before,” Sadr said. “The people have awakened and have taken care of the homeland. The boycotters will boycott, and those who participate will follow the guidance of their scholars and wise men. They will not vote for the tried-and-failed, for the tried should not be tried again.”

Sadr said political actors should instead focus on Iraq’s real dangers. “Weapons are out of control, infiltration continues, and our security forces are neglected, especially the Popular Mobilization Forces, whose law politicians abandoned after long praising its sanctity,” he wrote.

He warned of mounting crises, including drought, pollution, electricity shortages, weak education, economic decline, poor border protection, inadequate health care, and insecure hospitals. “Tribal weapons on one side, militia weapons on the other, and militia offices in every alley to no benefit,” he said. “The only victims will be Iraqi blood.”

He accused politicians of abandoning “sacred” causes, warning, “Whoever compromises on the benefit of the sacred Popular Mobilization Forces will compromise on all other sacred things, with weakness, submission, and complacency.”

Sadr also criticized his opponents’ claims that they represent Iraq’s strength. “If your strength is truly for Iraq and its people, then Iraq and its people are in danger,” he said, citing rampant unemployment, extremist ideologies, rising disease, poverty, and what he called moral corruption. “The danger is not only national; it is religious and doctrinal,” he asserted.

He urged politicians to “take heed from what happened against our beloved ones in Lebanon, against your former ally in Syria, what happened in Yemen, and even in the Islamic Republic [of Iran]. If [Iran] suffered during twelve days of war, Iraq could suffer within just twelve hours.”

Sadr also addressed rumors about an assassination attempt with a drone at the shrine of his father, the late cleric Mohammed al-Sadr, in Najaf. He said: “Your money and your drones will not avail you; those said to target the shrine of the Second Martyr, may his secret be sanctified, as per the recent leaks we received. But you will not do it, for such an act would harm your very existence, and you know it.”

He said such rumors would not cause discord. “We love our homeland and will not let it be harmed. No one will be swayed by your attempts at strife, for we see them as aware and steadfast in obedience to the National Shiite Movement, as we have always known them.”