
Iraq’s parliament has elected Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, a prominent Sunni lawmaker who has a close relationship with Iran, as its new speaker after months of deadlock among political factions.
Al-Mashhadani, who served a previous stint as speaker from 2006 to 2009, was selected by a vote of 182 of the 269 legislators who attended the session on Thursday. Parliament has 329 seats.