• Protesters storm Iraqi parliament for second time in a week, injuring at least 60 people.
• Demonstrators are protesting the nomination of pro-Iran opposition candidates for prime minister.
• Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc gained most seats but is out of power due to a political impasse.

Protesters stormed the Iraqi parliament for the second time in a week, injuring at least 60 people.

Supporters of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have again entered Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone to protest the nomination of a pro-Iran opposition candidate for prime minister.

Mr Sadr’s bloc gained the most seats in October, but it is currently out of power due to a political impasse.

The rally has been criticized by parliament’s most powerful alliance.

The Shia-led Coordination Framework has urged Iraqis to hold “peaceful” protests, adding, “The state, its constitutional bodies, and civil tranquility constitute a red line.”

According to a ministry statement, six of those injured on Saturday were in critical condition.

According to the AFP news agency, the protestors have sworn to occupy parliament until further notice.

They first gathered near the end of a bridge leading to the Green Zone, which houses many of the capital city’s most important buildings, including embassies.

Hundreds of them, however, tore down concrete barriers covering the location and stormed inside parliament, waving Iraqi flags and photographs of Mr. Sadr.

Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq’s current prime minister, directed security personnel to “guard the demonstrators.”

He urged demonstrators to “continue their peaceful movement, avoid escalation, and follow the directions of security personnel whose objective is to safeguard them and government institutions.”

The violence comes after a nine-month impasse in which disagreements between the country’s many political groupings hindered the formation of a new government.

Following the October election, Mr Sadr, a Shia cleric who seeks to halt the US and Iranian meddling in Iraq’s domestic affairs, declared victory for his nationalist Saeroun organization.

However, it has been impossible to form a new government coalition since then since Mr. Sadr has refused to work with competitors.

He and his followers have opposed Mohammed al-candidacy Sudani’s for prime minister, which is supported by the Co-ordination Framework since they believe he is too close to Iran.

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