Baghdad: The head of the National State Forces Alliance, Ammar al-Hakim, stressed the need to expand dialogue and strengthen national understandings to resolve outstanding issues. His media office said in a statement, “Within the framework of ongoing political activity, al-Hakim met with Aras Habib, Secretary-General of the Iraqi National Congress, where they discussed the latest developments in the political landscape in Iraq and the region, in light of the rapid changes taking place at this stage.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the statement added, “The meeting addressed the issue of electoral entitlements, the election of the president, and the formation of the new government. Al-Hakim emphasized the need to broaden dialogue and strengthen national understandings to resolve outstanding issues, in a way that guarantees political stability and safeguards the country’s interests.”

He pointed out that the interest of Iraq and its people must take precedence over any other consideration, stressing the importance of managing this phase with a spirit of national responsibility.

The statement continued, “The meeting witnessed an in-depth discussion about the economic situation, during which Al-Hakim called for investing the state’s resources in maximizing revenues and rationalizing spending, and adopting clear strategic visions to address the crises, based on implementable action plans. He reiterated the need to revitalize the productive sectors, foremost among them agriculture, industry, tourism, investment, and modern technology, and to move away from a rentier approach and protect the Iraqi economy from the volatility of oil prices.”