Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — On Thursday, Iraq’s parliament confirmed 11 cabinet nominees and three deputy prime ministers, including Laith al-Khazali, a key member in Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq who faces US terrorist sanctions.
The nomination is a politically risky decision for Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, whose administration is dealing with strained regional ties and severe economic challenges as a result of the continuing US-Israeli war against Iran.
Al-Khazali is the brother of Qais al-Khazali, the commander of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which Washington listed as a foreign terrorist organization in 2020.
Both brothers were classified as specially designated global terrorists, and the US Treasury sanctioned them individually in 2019 for suspected participation in violence against Iraqi demonstrators.
Their US designations also included references to assaults on American troops, such as a 2007 operation that killed five US soldiers.
The parliamentary decision raises concerns about al-Khazali’s nomination and its ramifications for Baghdad’s relationship with Washington, especially as al-Zaidi wants to reinforce Iraq’s sovereignty and manage ties with neighboring nations.
Political parties disagreed; therefore, lawmakers postponed a vote on the migration and displacement portfolio.
Following the voting, Al-Zaidi advised the newly appointed ministers and deputy prime ministers to do their duties with competence and integrity.
The appointments come as Iraq faces a deteriorating economic crisis, with oil export interruptions and liquidity shortages putting strain on the government’s budget.
Al-Zaidi has declared a significant depreciation of the Iraqi dinar, warning that the government confronts unprecedented economic and security problems.
The presence of a US-sanctioned militia member in the government’s high leadership may hamper Baghdad’s attempts to preserve fruitful relations with Washington.