Exclusive: Behind the scenes of the framework meeting with Al-Zaydi regarding ministerial candidates and the drone file
Exclusive: Behind the scenes of the framework meeting with Al-Zaydi regarding ministerial candidates and the drone file
2026-05-21
Shafaq News – Baghdad
A source within the Coordination Framework revealed on Thursday the details of a meeting held by the Framework’s forces on Wednesday evening in the presence of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, indicating that the meeting focused on the two issues of completing the security portfolios and verifying accusations related to the launching of drones from Iraqi territory towards Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
On May 14, 2026, the Iraqi parliament granted confidence to the government of Ali Faleh al-Zaidi and its ministerial program, and voted on 14 ministers out of 23, while nine portfolios remained postponed due to disagreements over names and quotas, including the Interior, Defense, Higher Education and Planning ministries.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the forces of the Coordination Framework agreed, in the presence of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, to authorize the latter to choose the candidates for the Ministries of Interior and Defense, provided that the supporting parties or the parties from which the candidates come submit lists that include ten names of people with actual security and military experience.”
He added that “Al-Zaydi will choose from these lists the names he deems suitable to assume the two ministries,” noting that “the names currently circulating for the Interior and Defense positions are inaccurate.”
The source explained that the meeting also witnessed an agreement to “reassess the distribution of sovereign ministries according to the official cost agreed upon by the team overseeing the file, headed by Al-Zaydi, and in coordination with the coordination framework,” noting that “the map of the distribution of ministries may witness subsequent changes in light of this review.”
Regarding the regional security file, the source indicated that the meeting discussed “the issue of drones that Saudi Arabia and the UAE say were launched from Iraq,” explaining that “an agreement was reached to form a committee that includes security specialists and representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Defense, National Security and Foreign Affairs.”
According to the source, the committee will be divided into two teams. The first team will visit Saudi Arabia and the UAE to review the evidence related to the drones’ flight path, particularly what was detected by radar and early warning systems, with the aim of determining the starting point and the destination path, which will help in identifying the implementing party.
As for the second team, its mission, according to the source, will be “to search and investigate inside Iraq and gather sufficient information regarding the narrative of targeting Saudi Arabia and the UAE with drones launched from Iraqi territory.”
The source confirmed that the committee’s work “will be a search for evidence before adopting any final position,” indicating that “resolving this issue depends on the technical and security data that will be provided by the relevant authorities.”
These developments come after Saudi and Emirati accusations that drones were launched from Iraqi territory towards the two countries, including an attack that Abu Dhabi said targeted the Barakah nuclear power plant, while Riyadh announced that it had intercepted drones that entered its airspace from the direction of Iraq.
As a result, the Iraqi government condemned the attacks and decided to form an investigation committee and establish technical and security communication with Saudi Arabia and the UAE to review any evidence they possess.
shafaq.com
