BAGHDAD, June 15 (AKnews)- Speaker of the Iraqi House of Representatives has rejected a US proposal to meet with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for calming the tense political situation in the country.

During a phone call the national security advisor to the US vice president, Tony Blinken, asked House Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi to meet with Maliki or talk with him, but Nujaifi turned down the demand, Nujaifi's office said.

The US senior official visited Iraq on June 13-14 and met with a range of senior Iraqi leaders, including Maliki. He stressed that the US will not become a party to the dispute of the political forces in Iraq but urged all to alleviate the tensions.

Nujaifi's office said the reason for refusing the demand is that " the political situation is not appropriate…."

Nujaifi is a leader in the Iraqiya list which along with Kurdistan Blocs Coalition (KBC) and Sadr Current demands replacing Maliki. The leaders of these forces have labeled Maliki as a "dictator."

Nujaifi's office refuted the media reports that allege the House speaker has demanded to meet with Maliki.

https://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/312354/