ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The leader of Iraq’s National Shiite Movement Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday called out parties who claim to be supported by his movement, labeling them “liars” and those who believe them “delusional.”

“Anyone claiming to be a political party, entity, or individual supported by us in the current elections is a liar,” the influential Shiite cleric said in a statement, adding that anyone who believes the assertions “is either deluded or an infiltrator” who “has absolutely no connection” to his movement.

The cleric affirmed that his movement and supporters are “boycotting” the Iraqi parliamentary elections.

“We will not participate in their corruption, their subservience, or their unchecked weapons, for the love of country is part of faith,” Sadr said, who has long abstained from the country’s governmental processes and has advocated for an end to corruption and unlicensed weapons.

On Monday, Saleh Muhammad al-Iraqi, Sadr’s close associate, urged residents not to leave their homes on election day, urging those “compelled to participate” to spoil their ballots.

“Whoever is compelled to participate should do so as our heroic security forces have done,” he added, referencing circulating footage of Iraqi security forces who spoiled their ballots on Sunday’s early votes in support of the cleric.

Sadr and his National Shiite Movement party have withdrawn and boycotted all electoral processes in Iraq, despite emerging as the victors of Iraq’s 2021 parliamentary elections. The Shiite cleric accused the country’s parties and politicians of corruption and began routinely calling on residents not to participate in the parliamentary elections, arguing that it renders them complicit in the corruption.

Sadr announced his “definitive” retirement from politics in August 2022 after his attempts to form a national majority government were repeatedly blocked by the Coordination Framework.

His withdrawal from the political process allowed the Coordination Framework to form a cabinet within months and select Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani as the country's new prime minister.

Over 7,000 polling stations opened across Iraq for more than 20 million eligible voters early Tuesday morning. A total of 7,743 candidates, comprised of 5,496 males and 2,247 females, are running for the legislature’s 329 seats.