Iraq's New Prime Minister Faces Daunting Challenges Amid Cabinet Divide

Iraq's new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi took office with a partial cabinet as consensus was not reached on key defense and interior positions. Basim Mohammed is the new oil minister, continuing Fuad Hussein as foreign minister. The U.S. President supports Zaidi, who faces challenges like disarming militias, corruption, and international relations.

Ali al-Zaidi, Iraq's new Prime Minister, was inaugurated with an incomplete cabinet as parliament struggled to agree on crucial positions, including defense and interior ministries. The appointment of Basim Mohammed as oil minister and the retention of Fuad Hussein as foreign minister marked key decisions in Zaidi's nascent administration.

The parliamentary session was marked by intense debates, primarily over the interior minister nomination. Despite approving 14 ministerial positions, the assembly could not finalize several important posts, leaving nine ministries pending, according to MP Muqdad al-Khafaji.

Assuming office, Zaidi, an Iraqi multimillionaire with diverse business interests, faces significant challenges like disarming militias backed by Iran, combating entrenched corruption, and maintaining a diplomatic balance between the U.S. and Iran.