Iraqi politicians and their regional allies gathered in Baghdad yesterday to discuss a way out of two months of protests that brought down the government, as violence hit shrine cities.

Demonstrators demanding root and branch reform have flooded the capital and the Shiite-majority south since October in the largest grassroots movement the country has witnessed in years.

Seen as a threat to the ruling elite, the rallies were met with a heavy-handed response from security forces and armed groups that has left more than 420 people dead and nearly 20,000 wounded—the vast majority demonstrators.

After a fresh uptick of violence last week, prime minister Adel Abdel Mahdi formally resigned and talks to find a replacement have intensified this week in Baghdad.

Among those attending the negotiations are two key allies of Iraq’s main Shiite parties: Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Qasem Soleimani and Lebanese power broker Mohammad Kawtharany, a high-ranking political source told AFP on Tuesday.

“Soleimani is in Baghdad to push for a particular candidate to succeed Abdel Mahdi,” the source said, without providing details.

Kawtharany, who is Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s pointman on Iraq, “is also playing a large role in persuading Shiite and Sunni political forces on this,” the source added.