State of law: The vote on the vacant ministerial posts may be decided at this time.

The State of Law Coalition revealed on Wednesday that the forces within the Coordination Framework have agreed to hold an extraordinary meeting in the near future to finalize the cabinet formation, suggesting that the vote on the remaining ministerial posts will take place at the beginning of July.

Coalitionleader Jassim Mohammed Jaafar told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “the meeting of the Coordination Framework leaders, held at the home of Victory Coalition leader Haider al-Abadi, was lengthy and addressed several issues.” He noted that “resolving the disagreements regarding the distribution of the remaining portfolios necessitates this anticipated extraordinary meeting.”

Jaafar added that “those present agreed on the need to address these vacancies as quickly as possible,” indicating that “the matter will be resolved and voted on in Parliament at the beginning of July, coinciding with the end of the first legislative session of the Council of Representatives.”

Almaalomah.me

“Al-Maalomah” reveals the files of Trump’s envoy to Iraq

Revealed on Wednesday that President Trump’s envoy, Tom Barrack, will discuss with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi the corruption files of officials in previous governments, carrying the names of those involved in stealing Iraqi funds between 2003 and 2026, most notably former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Haider told the Information Agency, “The information we received from the American decision-making source indicates that President Trump’s envoy, Tom Barrack, carried a file containing the names of 1,000 political figures from Shia, Sunni, Kurdish, Christian, and Yazidi parties involved in stealing huge sums of money from the state budget, with former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the top of the list.”

He added, “Barrack carries conclusive evidence to charge 1,000 figures who took turns running the country and amassed enormous wealth through illicit means, exploiting the critical conditions Iraq witnessed.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Fayez: Finalizing the cabinet depends on political consensus.

The head of the Tasmeem parliamentary bloc, Amer al-Fayez, confirmed on Wednesday that discussions are ongoing among political forces to finalize the cabinet formation. He noted that the upcoming parliamentary recess could affect the holding of a vote on the cabinet. Al-Fayez told Al-Maalomah News Agency, “Discussions are still underway among political forces to reach final understandings regarding the completion of the cabinet and filling the vacant ministerial positions.”

He added, “Parliament will enter its legislative recess soon, and if an agreement is reached on the candidates and the cabinet is complete, the parliament’s leadership may call for an extraordinary session to vote on the nominees.”

He pointed out that “holding the extraordinary session remains contingent on securing a quorum, as difficulties may arise due to the recess and the busy schedules of some members of parliament.” He explained that “political forces are striving to resolve this issue as quickly as possible to ensure the completion of the government formation.”

Almaalomah.me

A high-level delegation from Kurdistan plans to visit Baghdad to discuss resuming the region’s oil exports.

A high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government is scheduled to travel to Baghdad on Wednesday for talks on resuming the region’s oil exports.

According to information obtained by Shafaq News Agency, the Kurdish delegation consists of: Kamal Mohammed, Minister of Natural Resources; Omid Sabah, Chief of Staff of the Council of Ministers; and Amanj Rahim, Secretary of the Council of Ministers. The delegation will hold serious talks regarding the resumption of Kurdistan’s oil exports, and the issue of increasing export volumes will also be discussed.

The information confirms that if the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports resume, this will have a direct impact on the salaries of the region’s citizens, and therefore Baghdad will be obligated to send the salaries on their scheduled date.

Kurdistan Region’s oil exports have fallen from 200,000 barrels to 20,000 barrels due to attacks by Iraqi factions and Iranian forces, which have forced companies to halt their operations.

The head of the office of the Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Omid Sabah, announced on May 24 that, following the end of the Eid al-Adha holiday, a high-level official delegation from the Ministry of Natural Resources in the Kurdistan Region, accompanied by representatives of foreign oil companies, is scheduled to visit the capital, Baghdad, to conduct detailed discussions aimed at reaching a final formula that guarantees the resumption of the region’s oil exports as soon as possible.

He noted that foreign oil companies operating in the region had demanded official guarantees from the Iraqi government following recent security tensions and attacks on oil fields, indicating that Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi had personally pledged to provide these guarantees to protect the fields and companies.

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Al-Hakim: Consultations are underway to hold an emergency session to decide on the remaining ministerial portfolios.

The head of the National State Forces Alliance, Ammar al-Hakim, announced on Wednesday that Iraqi political forces and parties are conducting intensive consultations to decide on the remaining seats in the government cabinet by holding an emergency session of the House of Representatives, given that there is a mandatory legislative recess that lasts from the beginning of June until July 1st.

Al-Hakim said during a press conference he held in Al-Muthanna Governorate that it is possible to cut short this holiday with an emergency session, in addition to the fact that many members of the council have gone to the holy lands to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, and we are waiting for their return to proceed with completing the government headed by Prime Minister Ali Al-Zidi.

The Iraqi parliament voted on May 14 to grant confidence to the government of Ali Faleh al-Zaidi and its ministerial program with 14 ministers, while the vote on the remaining 9 ministries was postponed until after the Eid al-Adha holiday due to the continuation of political disputes over the distribution of portfolios, amid reports of international warnings against the inclusion of armed factions in the new ministerial formation.

On another front, Al-Hakim renewed his support and praise for the steps taken to restrict weapons to the state, considering this a constitutional and legal entitlement that cannot be reversed.

The head of the State Forces Alliance welcomed the “rapid response” of the Peace Brigades, the military wing of the Shiite National Movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, headed by its Secretary-General Qais al-Khazali, in addition to the “Imam Ali” Brigades, in handing over their weapons to the state, expecting that other factions will respond soon, and noting that there are armed factions that prefer to hand over weapons at the beginning of next September with the end of the mission of the international coalition against ISIS led by the United States of America and its departure from Iraq.

This position coincides with the authorization granted by the Coordination Framework, which includes the Shiite political forces, on Monday evening to the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ali al-Zubaidi, to take the decisions and measures necessary to preserve the country’s higher interests, while simultaneously announcing its support for the project to restrict weapons to the state and to separate the Popular Mobilization Forces from all political, partisan, and social frameworks.

Shafaq.com

IMF: Iraq among the economies most affected by regional turmoil in 2026

A report issued by the International Monetary Fund showed that Iraq will be among the economies most affected by regional turmoil during 2026, with clear repercussions on inflation rates, external accounts and public finances.

According to the report, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, Iraq is among a limited group of countries facing double pressures as a result of the disruption of trade and the rise in transportation costs, in addition to the effects of armed confrontations on trade routes, especially those related to the Strait of Hormuz, which has led to a noticeable decline in current account and financial balance indicators compared to previous expectations.

The IMF noted that Iraq and Iran experienced the greatest negative pressures on their external and fiscal accounts among the affected countries in the region, as trade losses and declining economic activity outweighed any potential gains from higher oil prices, leading to downward revisions in fiscal performance for 2026.

On the inflation side, the report explained that Iraq witnessed an increase in expectations within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, driven by increased import costs and higher commodity prices, with increases in the region ranging from moderate levels in Iraq and some GCC countries to higher levels in Iran.

According to the IMF, these developments reflect the sensitivity of the Iraqi economy to regional turmoil, particularly with regard to supply chains and foreign trade costs, in addition to the country’s reliance on vital transport routes that pass through geopolitical hotspots.

The report also predicted that pressure on Iraq’s economic indicators would continue in the coming period, unless there is a breakthrough in the regional trade environment and an improvement in the conditions of economic and financial stability.

Shafaq.com

Al-Fayez rules out holding an “emergency” parliamentary session to complete the cabinet.

On Wednesday, MP Amer Al-Fayez, a leading figure in the coordination framework, ruled out holding a session of the House of Representatives during the coming week, suggesting that the completion of the cabinet will be postponed until after the end of the legislative holiday.

Al-Fayez told Shafaq News Agency that “the Prime Minister and the Coordination Framework are determined to complete the cabinet in order to support stability and complete the projects included in the government’s ministerial program.”

He added that “what is hindering the completion of the cabinet is the House of Representatives entering its legislative recess,” explaining that “there is a need to call for an emergency session, but the quorum for emergency sessions may or may not be achieved, given the travel and vacations of most members of parliament.”

He pointed out that “the political blocs concerned with the ministries have not yet submitted the names of the candidates to the Prime Minister,” explaining that “the names can be submitted within a few days if an agreement is reached to hold a session of the House of Representatives.”

Al-Fayez added that “there is difficulty in holding a session of the House of Representatives during the next week, and the council is currently on legislative leave, and the representatives are not ready to attend,” suggesting that “if a quorum is not achieved, the completion of the cabinet will be after the end of the legislative leave.”

The head of the National State Forces Alliance, Ammar al-Hakim, had confirmed earlier today that Iraqi political forces and parties are conducting intensive consultations to decide on the remaining seats of the government cabinet by holding an “emergency” session of the House of Representatives, given that there is a mandatory legislative recess that lasts from the beginning of this June until the first of July.

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Exclusive: Al-Zaydi approves plan to integrate factions: 35,000 job opportunities in exchange for surrendering weapons

Informed sources revealed details of the recent meeting held by the leaders of the Coordination Framework, in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the head of the committee overseeing the disarmament of armed factions, while noting that 35,000 job opportunities have been allocated for members of factions who agree to hand over their weapons.

The sources told Shafaq News Agency that “Al-Zaydi presented to the Coordination Framework the proposals of the Committee for Disarming the Factions, which he heads, which included allocating 35,000 job opportunities in the security and military institutions and the Counter-Terrorism Service, with the door to integrating the elements of the factions to be closed after the number is completed.”

She added that “a time limit of no more than three months has been set for the factions to decide their position on whether or not to disarm,” noting that “the total number of Saraya members whose weapons were disarmed by their leader Muqtada al-Sadr reached approximately 15,000, and thus 20,000 job opportunities remain, which is sufficient to accommodate all the factions.”

According to the sources, anyone who fails to meet the deadline will face legal and military prosecution. They noted that Al-Zaydi explained the country’s financial situation to the leaders of the Coordination Framework, and that the process of funding the allocations for those joining the government institution requires double the time and effort to complete, and that the government has more than one option to address the issue, including internal borrowing.

She explained that “the leaders of the coordination framework supported the proposals of the Al-Zaydi Committee, and it was agreed to attach leaders from the Ministries of Defense and Interior and the supporting security agencies to supervise the process of dismantling weapons, auditing the criminal records of the faction members, and distributing them in accordance with their technical and field capabilities.”

A political source told Shafaq News Agency on Tuesday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi had proposed to the American side an approach based on establishing service and investment projects inside Iraq, to ​​be implemented by American companies, in exchange for proceeding with the issue of restricting weapons to the state and the factions handing over their weapons.

This comes after the Coordination Framework authorized Al-Zaydi to take decisions and measures to preserve the country’s higher interests, while supporting the project to restrict weapons to the state and to separate the Popular Mobilization Forces from political, partisan and social frameworks, in a position that was practically considered a political cover for Al-Zaydi to act on the issue of the factions.

This political movement was strengthened after the leader of the Shiite National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, announced the disassociation of the “Peace Brigades” from the movement and their affiliation with the state, and called on the rest of the factions to move away from partisan and sectarian frameworks and join under the authority of the government, a step that al-Zaydi welcomed and called on the other factions to follow.

Asaib Ahl al-Haq also followed this path, as it announced the formation of a central committee to begin procedures for disengaging from the Popular Mobilization Forces formations, inventorying personnel, weapons and vehicles, and organizing mechanisms for liaising with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Then, the Imam Ali Brigades announced a similar decision that includes inventory, handover, transfer and reintegration of affiliates within state institutions.

Shafaq.com

Kuwait: Foreigner killed and 63 injured in recent Iranian attack

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that 63 people were injured as a result of the Iranian attack that targeted Kuwait, confirming that the injured included civilians and employees at Kuwait International Airport, as well as a number of travelers.

The ministry said in a statement seen by Shafaq News Agency that it had activated emergency plans and raised the level of preparedness in all hospitals and medical institutions to deal with the repercussions of the attack.

For its part, the Kuwaiti army announced that it had detected and dealt with 13 hostile ballistic missiles and 17 drones, confirming the success of the air defense systems in countering the threats that targeted the country.

The army added that the attacks resulted in the death of an Indian resident and injuries to a number of people, in addition to causing serious material damage in some locations.

He noted that the sirens sounded five times during the day due to the missile and drone attacks.

For its part, the Kuwaiti Civil Defense reported that it dealt with nine reports of falling debris resulting from the interception of Iranian missiles and drones, stressing that follow-up and field assessment operations of the damage are continuing.

Kuwait condemned earlier on Wednesday the Iranian attacks that targeted civilian facilities with ballistic missiles and drones at dawn, confirming that the attack on Kuwait International Airport resulted in the death of one person and the injury of others, as well as material damage to vital facilities and diplomatic missions.

For its part, Qatar expressed its strong condemnation of the Iranian attacks that targeted civilian sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, including Kuwait Airport, considering them a violation of the sovereignty of the two countries and a breach of the principles of international law.

It is worth noting that the Kuwaiti Civil Aviation Authority announced this morning the activation of the emergency plan at Kuwait International Airport, following an attack on the passenger terminal by drones and missiles, which it said resulted from “Iranian aggression”.

Shafaq.com

Within two days, al-Zaydi reached an agreement with Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq and Kata’ib al-Imam Ali to implement measures to restrict weapons.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi agreed with delegations from the Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement and the Imam Ali Brigades to form a joint committee to implement measures to restrict weapons to the state within the next two days.

The Prime Minister’s Media Office stated in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that “Al-Zaidi received two delegations from the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq movement and the Imam Ali Brigades, and during the meeting he expressed his thanks and appreciation for the responsible position shown by both Qais al-Khazali and Shibl al-Zaidi, and their contribution to strengthening the path of building the state, through responding to the directives of the Supreme Religious Authority, and supporting the government’s directions and its ministerial program in restricting weapons to the hands of the state, and joining under the banner of the state and the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.”

Al-Zaydi stressed, according to the statement, that Iraq is witnessing an important transformation today in light of the great security stability achieved, which makes the current stage a stage of construction, reconstruction and comprehensive development, and requires the combined efforts of all Iraqis to participate in the country’s renaissance and the consolidation of state institutions.

The Prime Minister praised the magnitude of the sacrifices made by the members of the armed forces and security services, in all their formations, during the confrontation of the challenges that threatened the existence of the Iraqi state.

He stressed that “the Popular Mobilization Forces were one of the main factors in achieving security stability, and that its members today represent a fundamental pillar in the process of building and development alongside the rest of the state institutions.”

The statement indicated that the meeting agreed to form a “joint committee to develop appropriate mechanisms for implementing the procedures for disengaging from the Popular Mobilization Forces and restricting weapons to the state within the next two days, in accordance with the constitution and the law, and to strengthen the authority of the state, and to contribute to supporting security and stability and consolidating the project of a strong Iraqi state, capable of achieving the aspirations of its citizens.”

This comes after the Coordination Framework authorized Al-Zaydi to take decisions and measures to preserve the country’s higher interests, while supporting the project to restrict weapons to the state and to separate the Popular Mobilization Forces from political, partisan and social frameworks, in a position that was practically considered a political cover for Al-Zaydi to act on the issue of the factions.

This political movement was strengthened after the leader of the Shiite National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, announced the disassociation of the “Peace Brigades” from the movement and their affiliation with the state, and called on the rest of the factions to move away from partisan and sectarian frameworks and join under the authority of the government, a step that al-Zaydi welcomed and called on the other factions to follow.

Asaib Ahl al-Haq also followed this path, as it announced the formation of a central committee to begin procedures for disengaging from the Popular Mobilization Forces formations, inventorying personnel, weapons and vehicles, and organizing mechanisms for liaising with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Then, the Imam Ali Brigades announced a similar decision that includes inventory, handover, transfer and reintegration of affiliates within state institutions.

Informed sources revealed earlier on Wednesday the details of the last meeting held by the leaders of the Coordination Framework in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the head of the committee overseeing the file of disarming armed factions, while indicating that 35,000 job opportunities have been allocated to members of the factions who agree to hand over their weapons.

The sources told Shafaq News Agency that “Al-Zaydi presented to the Coordination Framework the proposals of the Committee for Disarming the Factions, which he heads, which included allocating 35,000 job opportunities in the security and military institutions and the Counter-Terrorism Service, with the door to integrating the elements of the factions to be closed after the number is completed.”

Shafaq.com