Shafaq News- Washington/ Baghdad (Updated at 22:20)
US President Donald Trump, on Thursday, congratulated Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, urging the formation of a new government “free of terrorism.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that Washington is looking forward to "a strong, vibrant, and highly productive new relationship" with Iraq.
Earlier, Trump extended an invitation for Al-Zaidi to visit Washington after forming the government.
The European Union Mission in Iraq also welcomed al-Zaidi’s nomination, stressing the need to accelerate government formation to address pressing challenges facing the country.
Al-Zaidi’s nomination follows weeks of deadlock within the Shiite Coordination Framework, the largest bloc in parliament, which holds about 162 of parliament’s 329 seats, after outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and former premier Nouri al-Maliki withdrew from the race.
Read more: Who is Ali Al-Zaidi? The businessman tapped for Iraq's premiership