Iraq Completes Cabinet with US-Sanctioned Pro-Iran Leaders
Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi completed his cabinet by appointing 11 ministers and three deputy prime ministers, including US-sanctioned militia leader Laith Al-Khazali.
The Iraqi parliament voted Thursday to fill 11 vacant cabinet positions, completing the government of Ali Al-Zaidi five months after he took office. The appointments increase the number of confirmed ministers from 14 to 25, including Nayef Al-Shammari as defense minister and Yasir Al-Maliki as interior minister. The session also established the Ministry of Digital Economy and Governance and a separate tourism portfolio, the latter secured by the Iran-backed Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada.
Among the most controversial appointments is Deputy Prime Minister Laith Al-Khazali, a senior leader of the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia. Al-Khazali is under U.S. sanctions and designated as a global terrorist. While the move drew criticism from some U.S. officials, diplomatic sources indicate the United States provided tacit approval following a September meeting between Al-Zaidi and President Donald Trump. This approval reportedly follows promises from Al-Zaidi to implement disarmament plans for non-state armed groups by June 30 and guarantees that these factions will not attack U.S. interests.
Al-Zaidi is managing these political shifts amid a severe economic crisis. Iraq faces liquidity shortages and public debt exceeding 208 trillion Iraqi dinars, which Al-Zaidi attributed to the economic challenges imposed by the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. To cover monthly spending of 10 trillion dinars for salaries and services, Al-Zaidi devalued the Iraqi dinar by nearly 15 percent against the U.S. dollar. One vacancy remains for the Ministry of Migration and Displacement due to ongoing party disagreements.
