“Reconstruction and Development”: No decisive agreement yet to complete Al-Zidi’s ministerial cabinet

The head of the “Reconstruction and Development” bloc, Bahaa al-Araji, confirmed on Thursday that there is no decisive agreement between the active political blocs to complete the current ministerial formation headed by Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi.

Al-Araji said during a press conference held in the parliament building in the presence of a correspondent from Shafaq News Agency, “There is no decisive agreement yet to complete the cabinet, and we need to resolve the issue of the vacant ministries as soon as possible,” calling on the council presidency to hold a special session to vote on them. WashingtonNews Updates

Al-Araji urged the political blocs to unite their ranks, noting that “the next stage is dangerous and requires finding a solid foundation for understanding and dialogue,” while pointing out that the regional conflict between Washington and Tehran has negatively affected the Iraqi reality due to the worsening oil export crisis and the deterioration of the energy and services sectors.

This statement comes in conjunction with what an informed source revealed last Saturday, that the political forces that did not complete their government quotas according to the electoral entitlement have begun forming internal committees to sort and study the names of candidates for the remaining portfolios.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, and through its internal committee concerned with nominating candidates for the Ministry of Interior, is currently studying the resumes of six candidates, including former minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari and Lieutenant General Qasim Atta. However, the latter is facing difficulty in passing his nomination due to a local and regional veto against him, despite pressure from some parties to pass it.”

The source added that “the list also includes technocrat candidates, among them a lieutenant general with a doctorate from the Ministry of Interior’s staff and a long history in security service, as well as independent figures,” noting that “the Ministry of Higher Education falls under the State of Law entitlement as well, while the Ministry of Youth and Sports will be allocated to the Wisdom Movement, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to the Sadiqun bloc.”

It is worth noting that the Iraqi parliament voted on May 14 to grant confidence to Ali al-Zaidi’s government and its ministerial program with 14 ministers, while the vote on the remaining 9 ministries was postponed due to continued disagreements over the distribution of portfolios, amid reports indicating international warnings against the inclusion of armed factions in the new formation.

Shafaq.com

The Prime Minister arrives in Iran on an official visit

Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi arrived in the Islamic Republic of Iran on Thursday for an official visit, according to the official news agency, which stated that “Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi arrived in Iran for an official visit, at the head of a high-level ministerial delegation.”

She also confirmed that his official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran will include discussions on issues of common interest and strengthening bilateral cooperation with senior Iranian officials. Al-Zaidi stated in a post on the “X” platform, “Today we are heading to Tehran on an official visit during which we will meet with senior officials in the Islamic Republic of Iran to discuss issues of common interest, bilateral cooperation, and consultations on regional issues and efforts aimed at consolidating security and stability in the region.”

He added that “Iraq and Iran are bound by historical and cultural ties, geographical borders and common interests, which necessitates continuing to work in a spirit of dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect, in a way that promotes sustainable development and prosperity for the people of both countries, and contributes to supporting security and stability at the regional and international levels.”

Burathanews.com

Widespread parliamentary discontent with the contents of the State Audit Bureau’s report

MP Riyadh Adai described the report issued by the head of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit regarding the Board’s work as “disappointing” on Wednesday, arguing that it failed to mention the true extent of wasted funds in state institutions.

Adai told the Information Agency, “The report lacked any indication of the actual amount of wasted funds and did not clearly name the officials or entities involved in cases of financial and administrative corruption.”

He added, “There are significant contentious issues in several ministries, including the Ministries of Defense, Transportation, and Trade, which are the backbone of providing for citizens’ basic needs.” He pointed out that “these ministries entered into contracts with several companies that resulted in the waste of substantial sums of money, in addition to the illegal disbursement of bonuses from insurance funds.”

It is worth noting that the Parliament reviewed the Federal Board of Supreme Audit’s 2025 report, which comprises approximately 7,000 pages, during a session in which the head of the Board, Ammar Subhi Khalaf, was present.

Almaalomah.me

Behind the scenes of the Washington visit: American messages via Baghdad to ease tensions with Iran

The spokesman for the Victory Coalition, Aqeel al-Rudaini, revealed on Wednesday important behind-the-scenes details and political leaks concerning the visit of al-Zaidi to Washington, D.C., confirming that he carried direct messages between the United States and Iran aimed at de-escalating regional tensions. Al-Rudaini told the Information Agency that “leaks from Washington indicate that al-Zaidi discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump the necessity of returning to the negotiating table and reaching a final and comprehensive agreement that secures navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, given its immense economic importance on both regional and international levels.”

He added that “information confirms that al-Zaidi carried messages and proposals from the U.S. administration to Tehran regarding the possibility of reactivating the joint memorandum of understanding previously signed by the two parties in Geneva.” He explained that “the coming period will witness Iraq playing a pivotal and positive role in bridging the gap between Washington and Tehran, given its balanced relations with both sides. Furthermore, these moves will positively impact the strengthening of joint economic and trade agreements between Baghdad and Tehran.” EconomicForecast Reports

Almaalomah.me

Parliamentary rights committee demands clarifications regarding oil agreements with Washington

The spokesperson for the Parliamentary Rights Bloc, Miqdad al-Khafaji, revealed on Wednesday that there is a move within the Iraqi Parliament to summon Prime Minister Ali Mohsen al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah to clarify the truth behind the reported grant of 500,000 barrels of oil to the United States, as well as the agreements concluded during his recent visit to Washington.
Al-Khafaji told the Information Agency that “Parliament intends to summon the Prime Minister to clarify the truth regarding the reported grant of 500,000 barrels of oil to the United States, in addition to reviewing the details of the signed agreements, their implementation mechanisms, and the resulting obligations.”
He added that “there are concerns that the quantities granted may exceed two million barrels in the future, which necessitates an official explanation before the legislative body and the public.”
Al-Khafaji questioned, “What benefit will Iraq gain from these agreements in exchange for giving away a portion of its oil wealth?” He emphasized that “national resources must be utilized in a way that serves the interests of the Iraqi people and preserves the country’s economic sovereignty.”
He indicated that “the House of Representatives will continue to exercise its oversight role in monitoring all economic agreements and files to ensure that national interests are not harmed and that Iraq’s rights and resources are preserved.” IraqPolitics Report

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Al-Zaidi reveals the “advice” he gave to Trump: We don’t want Iraq to be a failed state.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi affirmed on Wednesday that his government rejects Iraq becoming a “failed state,” stressing the need to continue fighting corruption and bear “all the consequences,” while revealing that he advised US President Donald Trump against launching a military strike against Iran. IraqEconomic News

In an interview with The Atlantic, al-Zaidi said he advised Trump against launching a military strike against Iran, stressing that Iraq should be a meeting point, not an arena of hostility, between Washington and Tehran.

He added that a military presence does not create ties between peoples, and that economic engagement is the guarantor of building those relationships, noting that Iraq is looking for an investment partnership with the United States that extends for 30 years instead of a military presence.

Al-Zaydi stressed that “there is no option but to surrender the weapons,” emphasizing that his government rejects the transformation of Iraq into a failed state and is committed to fighting corruption.

He pointed out that economic development and job creation are the path to stability in Iraq, noting that the recent war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have inflicted heavy losses on the Iraqi economy, even though Iraq still represents a promising investment opportunity.

Al-Zaydi concluded by emphasizing his readiness to bear the consequences of his reform project.

Al-Zaidi, accompanied by a high-level delegation, concluded last Saturday a five-day official visit to the United States of America , which focused on launching a comprehensive and diversified economic partnership to support the Iraqi economy, expand investment opportunities, revitalize the local labor market, as well as enabling Iraq to open new outlets for exporting crude oil and increase production and refining capacities.

Shafaq.com

Kurdistan receives approximately 388,000 tons of wheat… and a plan to market the surplus through local companies.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Kurdistan Regional Government announced on Wednesday the completion of the phase of receiving the allocated share of the wheat crop from the federal government, while revealing an agreement with local companies to receive the surplus quantities and market them inside and outside Iraq, in light of a production season that it described as “abundant”. ForeignInvestment Guide

The Director General of Trade in the region, Nawzad Sheikh Kamil, said during a press conference attended by a correspondent from Shafaq News Agency, that “the process of receiving wheat began on June 12 and continued until July 18, according to the quota allocated by the federal government to the Kurdistan Region, which amounts to 400,000 tons.”

He added that “the ministry received 387,378 tons of wheat from farmers during this period, at a price of 500,000 dinars per ton,” explaining that “the current season witnessed abundant production that exceeded the quota set by Baghdad, so the regional government decided to receive an additional 250,000 tons of the farmers’ crop at a price of 400,000 dinars per ton through the companies (Khoshnaw) and (Qaiwan), in addition to allocating another 200,000 tons to 11 local companies with the aim of marketing and exporting it outside the region.”

Regarding the farmers’ dues, he pointed out that “142 billion dinars of last season’s dues have not been disbursed yet, and the regional government has not received any funds from the federal government to pay the dues of this year’s farmers.”

Iraqi Trade Minister Mustafa Nizar Al-Ani announced on Tuesday the conclusion of the 2026 wheat marketing season, confirming that the quantities marketed to the ministry’s warehouses reached about 4 million and 800 thousand tons.

Shafaq.com

Baghdad announces al-Zaidi’s regional visit schedule: Iran tomorrow, then Türkiye… and talk of Syria is premature.

Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi announced on Wednesday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi will travel to Iran on Thursday for an official visit, stressing that it is still too early to talk about setting a date for an official visit to Syria.

Al-Aboudi said in a press conference attended by a correspondent from Shafaq News Agency that the visit will include discussions on a number of bilateral and regional issues, particularly cooperation in the fields of energy and agriculture, in addition to discussing developments in the region. WashingtonNews Updates

He added that Iraq has gained the attention of countries in the region and the world, thanks to its strategic positions and its non-involvement in conflicts, stressing that the government is pursuing a policy of openness to all countries and that the Washington visit resulted in the signing of 48 agreements and memoranda of understanding.

Al-Aboudi indicated that a government delegation will meet with the Iranian side to discuss the energy file, particularly the continued flow of Iranian gas supplied to Iraq.

He explained that Al-Zaidi will visit Turkey at the end of this month at the head of a high-level delegation to discuss a number of issues, foremost among them the water issue, indicating that Iraq continues to put forward diplomatic initiatives to stop the war during his various foreign visits.

Regarding relations with Syria, he indicated that no official date has yet been set for al-Zaidi’s visit to Damascus, stressing that Iraq is open to everyone, but setting a date for the visit is still too early.

Al-Aboudi continued, saying that restricting weapons to the state is a sovereign Iraqi matter, and is implemented within the government program and includes only Iraqis.

In response to a question from the agency’s correspondent, he pointed out that the Central Bank will participate in establishing the Investment Development Fund by depositing a sum of money, noting that a number of countries in the region and friendly countries will also contribute to the fund.

Shafaq.com

Iraq leads the growth of the Gulf development projects market with an addition of $15 billion.

The latest index from the British magazine “Med Projects” for projects shows that Iraq leads the region’s markets in terms of the growth of the development and infrastructure projects market during the period between June 19 and July 17, 2026.

According to the magazine’s data, Iraq topped the list of best-performing markets in the region, recording the largest absolute increase in the projects market of $15 billion, bringing the total value of projects under planning and implementation to $444 billion, achieving growth of 3.4%. IraqPolitics Report

The magazine added that Iraq has advanced ahead of the rest of the Gulf and Middle East countries, while the Sultanate of Oman came in second place after adding $7 billion to its projects market, bringing its total value to $367 billion, with a growth of 2%.

The data indicated that the total projects market in the Gulf countries rose to $4.41 trillion, while the MEED Projects Index continued its expansion for the sixteenth consecutive month, recording an increase of $22 billion, bringing the total value of projects in the region to $5.1 trillion.

In the rest of the markets, the volume of projects in the UAE increased by about $4 billion to reach $1.36 trillion, while the value of projects in Qatar increased by 0.6% to reach $242 billion, while Bahrain remained stable at $55 billion with a slight decline of 0.4%.

Regarding contracts signed during June, the value of contracts in the Middle East and North Africa region reached about $20.5 billion, compared to $17 billion in May, supported by the return of activity after the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of maritime traffic, while Saudi Arabia topped the value of contracts with $9.9 billion, followed by the UAE with $6.4 billion, then Kuwait with contracts amounting to $1.4 billion.

Shafaq.com

Following Al-Zaidi’s visits: Promising opportunities for playing a regional and international role

Iraq’s role as a strategic link is escalating, but in addition to that, according to the Australian website “The Conversation”, it can turn the external competition around it into a meeting point and coexistence between these powers.

After the Australian website, in a report translated by Shafaq News Agency, pointed to the visits made by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, or that he intends to make, to both the United States, where he “charmed” US President Donald Trump, and Tehran, where he intends to do the same with Iranian leaders, along with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Syria, it said that his American visit was the most important because it aimed to obtain local legitimacy for al-Zaidi’s government and attract foreign investment while raising Iraq’s status in the Middle East.

However, the report noted that an important aspect of al-Zaidi’s visit to the United States was related to focusing on a new American regional strategy that focuses on trade and investment in the Middle East, with Iraq as a key element in it, as Iraq appears as a strategic hub in the Middle East that is increasingly being shaped through energy networks, infrastructure trade and investment.

According to the report, Iraq’s growing importance as a link for diplomacy, trade, and broader regional transformations came after the collapse of ISIS, improved security, and more active Baghdad diplomacy, which expanded Iraq’s room for maneuver.

In addition, the report cited the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the weakening of Iran’s proxies in the region, and the US-Iran war, as having also enhanced the strategic value of Iraq’s geography, institutions, and relationships. IraqEconomic News

He went on to say that, with the reshaping of the regional balance and the disruption of Iran’s traditional network of influence, Iraq has become an increasingly important platform for military coordination, regional diplomacy, and economic interdependence.

The report noted that Washington, and every major regional actor, is reassessing Iraq’s role, as Iran, the Gulf states, and China strengthen their engagement with Baghdad, pursuing different objectives while acknowledging Iraq’s exceptional strategic position.

The report noted a shift in the American vision towards Iraq from a lens of rewarding terrorism and military stability, to a broader partnership, especially in the economic field, within the framework of a broader strategy aimed at building a more resilient Iraqi state capable of managing competing external pressures and governance in general.

The report continued that for Iran, Iraq is considered essential to its regional strategy as a more challenging regional environment emerges, as Iraq provides an opportunity for broader trade relations and a crucial corridor linking Iran to partners throughout the region.

He added that the Gulf states, for their part, are readjusting their approach, with countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others now viewing Baghdad as an opportunity to engage through investment, infrastructure, and economic integration. A more stable and engaged Iraq can link Gulf markets, capital initiatives, and infrastructure to global trade and investment while mitigating the risks associated with instability emanating from Iran.

According to the report, China’s role reflects another dimension of Iraq’s importance, as given that Baghdad has become an increasingly important arena for geopolitical and commercial competition, Chinese companies will need to compete more aggressively for contracts, and Beijing will face greater incentives to deepen its involvement in Iraq to maintain its influence.

The report argued that a stable and economically viable Iraq is in itself valuable to Beijing as a reliable energy partner and a potential hub for broader regional connectivity.

He added that regardless of great power competition, American and Chinese interests largely coincide.

The report explained that these various developing relationships with Iraq do not represent a simple competition between countries or competing blocs, but rather coexistence, reflecting Baghdad’s efforts to diversify foreign relations while avoiding excessive dependence on any single power.

The report argued that what distinguishes Iraq is not just its geography, but the extraordinary intertwining of relationships that few other Middle Eastern countries possess, explaining that Baghdad can engage Washington on security and energy, Tehran on political and trade relations, Beijing on infrastructure and trade, and the Gulf states on investment and regional connectivity.

He went on to explain that this gives Iraq the characteristics of a “middle state,” which the report described as a state whose influence stems from its ability to stay connected to competing political, economic, and security networks while helping to shape how those networks interact.

But the report warned that the challenge for Iraq is whether it can turn this connection into a national advantage without allowing external competition to override government decision-making.

The report added that the most pressing challenge is strengthening state authority, which will be tested by whether al-Zaydi can bring armed groups under the government’s control.

The report concluded by saying that China is unlikely to back down from the Iraqi market, where it has become a major trading partner and infrastructure investor, while the Gulf states will continue to seek a more stable and economically integrated Iraq, and Washington will still want a partner capable of resisting destabilizing pressures, not to mention helping to counterbalance China.

He concluded by saying that “the challenge facing Baghdad is to manage these overlapping relationships while ensuring that external partnerships enhance Iraqi sovereignty rather than restrict it.”

Shafaq.com