Iraq faces deadlock after 'West-friendly' candidate suspended

Iraqi-Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari's bid to run for the presidency faces a major hurdle, dealing a blow to kingmaker Moqtada al-Sadr's ambitions to form a government without Iran's allies.

But a bid to crown his political career with a run for the presidency faced a major hurdle last week when Iraq's federal court suspended his candidacy due to past corruption charges, causing an election delay that risks exacerbating existing factional divisions.

The presidential election was indefinitely postponed on Monday, stalling the already delayed formation of a new government. The results of October's parliamentary vote, in which pro-Iran factions were dealt a significant loss, were only confirmed in December due to political bickering over the results. A new president would be tasked with asking the winning bloc to form a government.