VP Mahdi/ Yes, I heard about this and I thank my brothers in Aliraqiah List. I thank these well-known leaders for their confidence and their attitude.

We have had an ongoing dialogue with the Aliraqiah List, before the elections and after the election; these dialogues have been intensified in recent times. Aliraqiah has had rounds of negotiations with state of law, and we have supported the negotiations and hoped that the two lists would succeed in accelerating the formation of the government. On the other hand, we have had good discussions with them and have reached satisfactory understandings that guarantee public rights and in turn each of us has understandings with other parties.

Therefore, we need to reach a final version that is agreed upon by all and reassures the majority. We believe that the situation that will solve the current crisis is by investing this context or any other context agreed upon by the lists to develop satisfactory solutions that provide terms of the partnership on the one hand and conditions of the government's success on the other hand.

Reporter/ What are the understandings that have allowed the development of the relationship between ISCI and Aliraqiah?

VP Mahdi/First, we informed our partners both in INA, especially the virtue party as well as the Sadr movement, SOL, and the rest of the parties including the Kurdish alliance. We did this on the basis of necessity and the confidence-building process; we consider that the requirement for the success of the project, any project, is to achieve two basic components: the first being the availability of a sufficient number who can achieve required merits, and the second is the participation of key players, to ensure that their absence does not constitute a notch in the national project. Thus, we can talk about a mature project when the key elements are available or we are close to achieving them. When we talk about partnership, then we are not just talking about the future, but we are talking about it in the present time. The project should be shared between everyone, not only between two parties and then others join later, so we are keen on the practical side, and we do not want to impose a solution, but to share one with each other to reach an acceptable solution for all and the reassuring majority. I think that the issue of confidence-building is an important issue, though it was not important in these circumstances, and I think that the reservations faced by the Prime Minister are related to this point. This including those between the forces the so-called Shiite powers. That is why requirements were abounded and assurances were requested , which complicates any negotiations or discussions. We tried and we are still trying to build confidence. We have defended in our meetings with various parties the idea of setting frameworks that allow political players to build healthy relationships based on a genuine partnership and mutual trust. Constitutional powers must be exercised by each institution fully in line with constitution. Participation must be real and not fake. Abuses, and unconstitutional acts and must stop. We have made good strides in the various agreements and understandings, and we agree to abide by the alliances that collectively lead to the desired results not to narrow policies.

Reporter/ why have negotiations stopped between Almaliki and Allawi?

VP Mahdi/ Relations between the two lists were not good from the beginning. SOL had accused Aliraqiah list, saying that it was established abroad, and that it includes Baathists. Conversely, Aliraqiah accused SOL that it had not shown sufficient flexibility and did not seek to correct the impressions left in the past four years. This in addition to the charges which have been repeated many times that they were imposed by neighboring countries.

Reporter/ but the negotiations which had lasted for more than three months under the auspices of the Americans and with tacit Iranian support. So why did it failed?

VP Mahdi/In addition to other things, including the issue of power-sharing; Aliraqiah insisted on its electoral merits, and demands that Dr. Iyad Allawi be appointed as the president of the Council of Ministers. While SOL did not see any substitute for Almaliki, and all U.S. efforts could not destabilize the two lists of their demands. The insistence of Aliraqiah was supported by the rejectionist attitude by INA, in particular ISCI and the Sadr movement regarding Mr. Maliki, as well as the negative attitude shown by regional countries, except Iran. In turn, Mr. Almaliki was encouraged in his position which represents the executive branch with all its resources and capabilities. As well as the declared and undeclared Shiite and Kurdish positions on the difficulty of assuming the prime minister post by Dr. Allawi, and their belief - right or wrong - that this position must be assigned to either INA or SOL.

Reporter/ Why did United States and Iran support Almaliki?

VP Mahdi/ Some talk about an agreement, and I do not think that the two sides sat together and negotiated about it. I have read in an article published by a foreign newspaper, an opinion says that Almaliki represented a meeting point in the two opposing policies which intersected at this juncture. The United States wants a government formed quickly to allow Congress to grant allocations for the troops, and help the democrats in the election, they want an Iraqi government that has the power to make urgent decisions, where United States can have agreements with the Iraqi government in order to complete its tasks in Iraq. We think that they have dealt with Almaliki and know him, and that the United State was able to organize relations and agreements with him. Especially the withdrawal of troops and fighting the militias. This is what we criticize, because Almaliki ran the country with a policy that weakened government institutions and Parliament, and was able to personalize the state. He put forward the concept of the strong man, and this is a temptation factor to a country with has troops in Iraq like the United States; United State wants specific decisions and an Iraqi side that can coerce things and subject and enforce laws, not a party to argue with them.

Reporter/What about Iran?

VP Mahdi/At the beginning, Iran did not support Maliki. But when there was intensified pressure on Maliki from the regional situation, and Maliki was the only viable candidate in the arena, and had a large number of Shiite forces seats. So, they have come to a conclusion that Almaliki is the most likely to succeed, especially if he is able to receive support from the rest of the Shiite and Kurdish forces and part of the Sunni forces. Then the situation turned into a state of conflict of wills, so defending Almaliki appeared to defend a policy of confrontation at a regional level, if not international. Not a support for the more correct approach and policy for the situation in Iraq. What I am saying is an approach which I am responsible for only, and not any other political party I work with him. I think that Iran is interested in the regional and the international situation more than it is in everyday affairs. But they may think that its success in this battle is in the end for the interest of Iraq. Also, Iran is in a severe conflict situation with the international and regional components, and is subject to a state of siege, sanctions, and has an embattled nuclear file. One which is still pending between the negotiation and war. This attitude to Iran is not just about Iraq or Lebanon or Afghanistan or Palestine or any file that it deals with him and has a significant impact on it.

Reporter/ Does that mean that Iran jeopardizes Iraq's interests?

VP Mahdi/What I am saying is not adopting a point of view, but it is a characterization and analysis of a fact, which is natural. Things get repeated through the generations and centuries. So what I say does not mean that Iran is not keen on the interests of Iraq, but they see it from a different point of view that differs from others' point of view, and does not mean that others do not appreciate the interests of Iraq.

Reporter/ So we stand at the brink of war and peace?

VP Mahdi/ Yes, I spoke frankly, in my recent visit to Washington, and before the Iraqi legislative elections with President Obama and Vice President Biden. I said that there is no way to resolve issues with the Islamic Republic of Iran only through the entrance of Iran as a partner in the regional situation and its different arrangements. On the other hand, the other parties- regional and international- will not be comfortable with - an Iran that does not accept the rules of the current regional game as a historic compromise. I gave an example: China and Nixon, and I stated that the regional situation in need of a similar initiative; the initiative of Kissinger / Nixon toward China, where China had achieved its demands, and historic settlements were achieved for the West with China. Which became part of the Asian regional system or the New World. If the Arab-Iranian relations and regional and international- Iranian relations do not get resolved; the region will remain in a state of war and peace. Local issues will be governed in an understandable way or incomprehensible in this worried equation which we understand sometimes and we ignore the rules and trends most of the time. This leads to false and incorrect estimates.

Reporter/ So Iran, regional countries, and United States have a say on the whole Iraqi situation?

VP Mahdi/ No, this issue should not be simplified. The interaction or a mixture of all of this decides this issue and not one party. We cannot overlook or deny the international and regional effects. But that does not mean that Iraqis do not decide. They are doing their part, the evidence is that they stand, oppose and agree to each other. This sometimes disturbs foreign wills, and sometimes responds with it, and gets praise and support. They are not rebels when they take a position that does not satisfy the will of a foreign players. So we see throughout this process that it needs to have two policies, or two solutions; first at a national level, and the second at a regional level, to overlap the two issues.

Reporter/ Do you actually have a national or regional solution for the crisis facing the formation of the government?
VP Mahdi/ Yes, at the national level from the beginning we put the idea of the round table dialogues, and we said that we have to access a solution that may not satisfy parties in everything, but it would not be at the complete loss of any party. We have always supported the idea of conducting a meeting between the winning lists, to agree on a paper with principles agreed by the majority of the various components in the national partnership, and the distribution of powers and authorities to resolve outstanding issues according to the papers that put forward by each party. Then when we agree on this paper positions and responsibilities will be distributed. That is also why we supported the initiative of President Barazani.

Reporter/ What about the regional solution?

VP Mahdi/ We put in our meetings with the regional powers, the importance of a meeting of regional powers. Or at least some neighboring countries, especially Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Saudi Arabia or on behalf of these countries, and what they represent from extensions and regional and international interests, because this is needed in order to reach an agreement that guarantees the interests of Iraq and non-interference in its affairs. This while ensuring the interests of the region and elsewhere, so that Iraq will be a meeting point for all, not a collision point between the various parties.

Reporter/So will you accept this nomination, and how will you act on this issue?

VP Mahdi/As I said, I have the honor and I am grateful for the position of Aliraqiah, the position of the Sadrists, with our brothers in virtue party, ISCI, the forces of the Kurdish coalition, and the rest of the forces that declared their support for the unity of Iraq coalition. The independent components, and a number of blocs that I prefer not to mention their names now. This is an indication of national openness, but the subject does not stop only at the borders of this nomination, but also is subjected to the acceptance of others for this nomination. We must see what the Kurd's final position is and practical response. As well as the position of the rest of the powers of the National alliance, and especially the State of Law coalition. It's not just the position of President of the Council of Ministers that will resolve the issue of the government formation crisis, but the rest of the sites and issues relating to partnership and other outstanding matters. Therefore, we will study communications and other initiatives, and we will, on our side, conduct necessary contacts to move positions. Our aim is for a rapid and successful solution to solve the crisis. We will be consulting with those who agree with us and those that differ from us, and we'll go step by step, and scrutinize the correctness of the situation. We will call to follow the saying: my opinion is wrong and can be right and the other opinion is correct could be wrong.