BAGHDAD
Iraqi Minister of Finance Rafi Hiyad al-Issawi announced his resignation.
Issawi announced his resignation from his duty as the Iraqi Minister of Finance at "Friday protests for Iraq of our choice" organized to protest against the Maliki government in the Ramadi province to the west of Baghdad.
Issawi stated that he resigned from the Maliki government due to arrest warrant issued for himself.
"The Maliki government didn't make any progress in meeting the demands of the people, Iraqiyya block member ministers' protests of the cabinet meetings didn't yield any results and therefore I resigned and will join the people's front," Issawi stated in his address to the protestors.
The Maliki government was also protested in the Iraqi province of Samarra to the north of Baghdad.
Sheikh Al-Abbasi stated that the policies followed by Nuri al-Maliki began to threaten the security of Iraq in the Friday Khutba.
Protestors chanted "The people want the government to change. Maliki, the people of Iraq don't want you," during the protests.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki rejected al-Issawi's resignation.
In a statement released on Friday, al-Maliki's office said that al-Issawi's resignation was rejected as Maliki wanted the investigation of financial and administrative irregularities associated with al-Issawi before any resignation could be accepted.
