Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis loyal to Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr answered his call to mass prayer in the streets of Baghdad on Friday.  

Al-Sadr has vowed to disband the powerful Iraqi militias loyal to Shi’ite Iran. 

 In June, al-Sadr ordered 74 of his lawmakers to resign from parliament after his attempts failed to form a government free of Iran-backed parties that have dominated many state institutions for years.

Divisions between al- Sadr and the Iran-aligned groups as well as Kurds vying for the post of Iraqi president have already forced the country into its second-longest period without an elected government. 

Al-Sadr keeps a distance from day to day politics and does not run for office, but continues to  keep one foot in power.

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