BAGHDAD After a nearly yearlong vacuum, Iraq ’s Parliament elected a new speaker on Oct. 31, selecting a prominent Sunni lawmaker who has a close relationship with Iran. Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who served a previous stint as speaker from 2006 to 2009, was elected by a vote of 182 of the 269 legislators who attended the session, a surprise move after months of deadlock between political factions. Former Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi was dismissed by a Federal Supreme Court last November against