Why Trump decided to back Iraq’s prime minister-designate, Ali al-Zaidi
Support from Washington is conditional on clear progress in curbing pro-Iran militia activity.
![Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]](https://aljazeeranews.edgeone.app/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-11-at-12.12.57-PM-1778491421.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
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From: NewsFeed
Syria becomes alternative energy corridor for oil as Hormuz effectively blo
Syria is receiving hundreds of Iraqi oil trucks hauling crude overland as an alternative energy corridor to Europe.
Published On 2 May 2026
A fishing boat in the Hawizeh Marsh in Maysan province, southern Iraq, after water returned due to rainfall following a long period of drought. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
Hawizeh is a transboundary marsh shared by Iraq and Iran. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
A water buffalo feeds as it wades through the Iraqi Hawizeh Marsh in Maysan province, southern Iraq. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
The Huwaizah Marshes in southern Iraq are part of the famed Mesopotamian wetlands, long considered one of the world’s great cradle-of-civilisation landscapes. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
A boy rests as fishermen ride in their boat through the Iraqi Hawizeh Marsh in Maysan province. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
Fed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the marshes support rich biodiversity, including migratory birds, fish and water buffalo. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
Marsh buffalo milk is an iconic part of Iraqi cuisine, as is the thick, clotted “geymar” cream Iraqis love to have with honey for breakfast. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
After years of drought worsened by upstream dams and climate change, recent winter rains have helped restore water levels, bringing cautious hope to the Indigenous communities who rely on fishing and herding. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
Despite the revival, the ecosystem remains fragile and dependent on consistent water flows and stronger environmental protections. [Hussein Faleh/AFP]
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Who is Ali al-Zaidi, the businessman named as Iraq’s PM-designate?
Political outsider Ali al-Zaidi is tapped as Iraq’s new PM to break a months-long political deadlock.
From: NewsFeed
Iraq appoints new prime minister-designate
Iraq appoints new prime minister-designate
Published On 28 Apr 2026
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,
Iraqi president names Shia bloc candidate Ali al-Zaidi as PM-designate
Choice of al-Zaidi breaks a months-long deadlock after Trump opposed appointment of pro-Iran former PM al-Maliki.
US-Israeli war on Iran will push 30 million back into poverty, UN warns
Disruption to fuel and fertiliser supplies due to the Strait of Hormuz closure will hit crop yields, UNDP chief warns.
Will Iraq’s Shia bloc overcome obstacles to pick the next PM?
The Shia-led Coordination Framework must nominate a prime minister by Sunday, as required by the constitution.
US halts shipment of Iraq’s oil dollars to curb Iran-linked groups: WSJ
A plane carrying nearly $500m in US banknotes was blocked by the US Treasury, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Iraq’s ruling Shia bloc races to choose PM as US, Iran watch
US and Iranian influence loom as the Shia parliamentary bloc moves to choose its leader months after elections.
Bahrain summons Iraqi envoy as pro-Iranian attacks persist in Gulf
Move reflects regional alarm over attacks by pro-Iranian groups based in Iraq, which continue despite ceasefire.
