Iran Reaffirms Brotherly Ties as Iraq Forms New Government

Iran has reaffirmed that expanding brotherly relations with Iraq remains at the top of its foreign policy priorities following the formation of a new government in Baghdad.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a message posted on X on Thursday that he congratulated Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on forming a government and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on retaining his position.

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“I congratulate the formation of the new government under His Excellency Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, and the retention of my brother Fuad Hussein as foreign minister,” Araghchi wrote.

“Expanding brotherly and friendly Tehran-Baghdad relations will always remain at the top of our foreign policy priorities,” he added.

Al-Zaidi, 40, was sworn in on Thursday as Iraq’s youngest prime minister after parliament approved 14 of his proposed 23 cabinet ministers, according to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Key portfolios including interior and defense remain under negotiation among political factions.

Al-Zaidi emerged as a compromise candidate after Washington’s pressure and bullying, including its threat to freeze Iraqi oil money in US bank accounts, forced former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki to abandon his candidacy, which had been put forward by the Coordination Framework as prime minister.

The new prime minister has not held an elected or administrative office and hence lacks a political base, building his profile through banking, logistics and government contracts.

Al-Zaidi’s government program, titled “A Stable State, A Productive Economy, Balanced Partnerships”, pledges measurable targets on energy, economic reform and national security.

But funding those commitments will depend on the stable flow of oil revenue held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.