Overview
- Iraq’s new prime minister and 14 ministers took the oath Thursday after parliament approved his program and part of his cabinet.
- Several portfolios, including interior and defense, were left open when nominees failed to gain consensus and no new vote was scheduled.
- Zaidi’s plan promises a state monopoly on arms as the United States links financial support to curbing Iran‑aligned militias.
- Lawmakers confirmed key posts, keeping Fuad Hussein as foreign minister and naming Basim Mohammed Khudair oil minister and Faleh al‑Sari finance minister.
- The government faces a cash squeeze because the Strait of Hormuz closure has cut oil exports from about 3.5 million barrels a day to roughly 300,000.