American report: Al-Zaidi’s government was born out of Iranian will

American report: Al-Zaidi’s government was born out of Iranian will

2026-05-19

Shafaq News – Translation
An American institute preempted the actual launch of Ali al-Zaidi’s government by questioning his ability to fulfill his promises to the Americans to confront Iranian influence in Iraq, considering that he “has not proven his ability to implement what he promised Washington,” especially because of the government formation he prepared.

The Middle East Forum Institute said in a report, translated by Shafaq News Agency, that the commander of the US Central Command, General Brad Cooper, informed the US Senate that al-Zaidi pledged to keep Iraq away from Iran, but the report noted that al-Zaidi’s first moves since taking office suggest that he is not committed to that.

According to the report, al-Zaidi formed his government under Iranian pressure, noting that the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Ismail Qaani, visited Baghdad at least twice during the negotiations that were taking place to form the new government, where it appears, according to leaks, that he set red lines for the factions regarding the files that overlap with al-Zaidi’s commitments to Washington.

After noting that the government lineup presented by al-Zaydi was not yet complete and did not include the Ministries of Defense and Interior, the report explained that these two ministries are responsible for security, weapons, finance, appointments, and the state’s relationship with armed groups, clarifying that a government that begins its journey without the Ministries of Defense and Interior cannot fulfill key security commitments to Washington.

The report stated that al-Zaidi did not demonstrate that he intended to distance Iraq from Iran, adding that when he speaks in Baghdad, he adopts a language of balance and de-escalation, while in Persian media he seems closer to emphasizing Iraq’s position within the Iranian strategic orbit.

According to the report, the new cabinet lineup provides several examples of why there is a lack of credibility regarding his pledge to distance Iraq from Iran. It explains that the Ministry of Communications has been given to Mustafa Sanad, which is considered one of the most important ministerial portfolios in a country based on networks, data, and digital infrastructure. It adds that placing this ministry in the hands of a figure close to Ismail Qaani gives the Quds Force a window into Iraq’s communications.

As another example, the report said that al-Zaydi gave the Badr Organization the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Water Resources, and kept Qasim al-Araji as National Security Advisor, who is also a figure from the Badr Organization whose influence extends into the Ministry of Interior and the Rapid Response Forces, considering that al-Zaydi’s government cannot give the Badr Organization two ministries and National Security, and then claim that it is moving Iraq away from the Iranian orbit.

The report also noted the presence of Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali in the parliamentary voting process, which means that al-Zaydi was not an independent player in the coordination framework, and he was nominated by al-Khazali, because if al-Zaydi intended to distance Iraq from Iran, the Asaib leader would have opposed him and not helped him pass the ratification of his government.

Instead of disarming the militias, the report said that al-Zaydi proposes transferring them to the Popular Mobilization Forces, adding that if the leaders, fighters, loyalties and unit structures remain the same, changing the faction’s name to a regular military brigade will not solve the problem.

Accordingly, the report says that Washington is repeating its mistakes, as it supported governments that pledged to balance the state and pro-Iranian militias, but the result was always a deeper influence of armed groups within state institutions. It adds that al-Zaydi is entering through the same door by making commitments to the Americans, reaching understandings with the coordination framework, and delaying the distribution of portfolios that determine Iran’s position within Iraq.

He went on to say that many expected the Donald Trump administration to break away from the approach of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, but instead they see Washington supporting the Coordinating Framework government and accepting dishonest promises.

The American report concluded by saying that the Zaidi government is being formed “under the shadow of Qaani,” and has received Iran’s approval, was passed with the support of the factions, started incomplete, left the portfolios of defense and interior unresolved, placed the Ministry of Communications in the hands of a figure close to Qaani’s orbit, and placed the Popular Mobilization Forces near the top of its agenda.

The report argued that these facts could not be a recipe for a government that distances itself from Iran, adding that al-Zaidi had not demonstrated that he could fulfill his promises to Washington. It explained that he had demonstrated that he could delay the confrontation, but that Washington must now show that it has the tools and courage to force al-Zaidi to fulfill his commitments regarding the priority of Iraqi sovereignty over Iranian demands.

shafaq.com