Iran Press/Middle East: "I promise to protect Iraq from any foreign meddling,” Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi said in a formal address to the nation on state television late on Saturday.
He vowed to build a “state of freedom and justice” and to work to meet protesters’ requests for jobs and services.
Allawi said he will stop crippling and widespread corruption.
“I pledge to protect peaceful protesters and release innocent prisoners,” added the new prime minister.
He also called on protesters to continue demonstrating until their demands are met.
Iraqi President Barham Salih appointed the former Iraqi Communications Minister Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi on Saturday from the five-man list he was offered two weeks ago to elect a new prime minister.
The appointment, after much bickering between political groups in the past two weeks, was finally agreed upon on Friday.
His predecessor, Adel Abdul Mahdi, resigned in November but remained in office as a caretaker until the replacement was found.
Allawi has one month to form a government and will lead it until holding early elections, for which there is no date set.
He said that he would resign if political parties attempt to impose candidates for cabinet positions.
On October 1, anti-government rallies erupted in Iraq and lasted for one week, with demonstrators protesting against unemployment, corruption and poor living conditions.
The new round of popular demonstrations in Iraq in a peaceful manner began as of October 25, in various cities, including Baghdad the capital, Karbala, Basra, Najaf and other cities in protest at corruption and the poor state of the economy.
The Iraqis peaceful protests are aimed at forcing the government to meet their demands.
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