Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraq’scaretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani marked the 38th anniversary ofthe Anfal campaign on Tuesday, honoring Kurdish victims of the former Baathistregime's military operations.

Al-Sudanidescribed the campaigns as racist crimes that subjected peaceful citizens to"the most heinous forms of killing andpersecution, in blatant violation of all values, customs, and laws." Hesaid Iraq today takes pride in the unity of the country and the brotherhoodamong its components and nationalities, "Under a democratic,constitutional, and pluralistic system in which all Iraqis live with dignity,free from discrimination and division."

With deep sorrow and painful remembrance, we mark 38 years since the racist crimes committed by the dictatorial regime and its criminal gangs against our Kurdish people during the brutal Anfal campaigns.On days such as these, more than three decades ago, our peaceful Kurdish…

— محمد شياع السوداني (@mohamedshia) April 14, 2026

About theGenocide

The Anfalcampaign, which began in 1986, intensified in 1988, and continued through 1989,was led by Ali Hassan al-Majid, infamously known as "Chemical Ali."He served as Secretary General of the Baath Party's Northern Bureau andmilitary governor of the region, while the military operations were commandedby former Iraqi Defense Minister Sultan Hashim.

On May 3, 2011,the Iraqi High Criminal Court classified the Anfal campaign as a crime againsthumanity and genocide, convicting al-Majid, who was also behind the chemicalattack on Halabja. He was sentenced to death and executed on January 25, 2010.

The KurdistanRegional Government has designated April 14 annually as a day of remembrancefor the victims of this genocide.

Read more: Kurdistan remains a steadfast haven for the persecuted 40 years after the Anfal genocide

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), the largest bloc inparliament, has narrowed its list of candidates for prime minister as keyleaders met on Monday to outline the next phase of talks aimed at resolving theleadership race.

A source told Shafaq News that the meeting was held at the residence offormer Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and brought together Head of the SupremeIslamic Council Hammam Hammoudi, al-Hikma (Wisdom) National Movement leaderAmmar al-Hakim, Asaib Ahl al-Haq Secretary-General Qais al-Khazali, and PopularMobilization Forces (PMF) official Abu Fadak al-Mohammadawi.

Al-Maliki proposed former minister Ali al-Shukri as a potentialcandidate, with participants agreeing to include him in the pool for collectivereview at the next session. The closed-door talks followed hours after abroader CF meeting, initially scheduled for today, waspostponed as several Framework leaders chose to boycott the session.

Under Article 76 of the constitution, the largest parliamentary bloc has15 days to nominate a prime minister after the election of a president, a stepthat formally launches the government formation process. Parliament electedNizar Amedi on Saturday, completing the constitutional requirement and pavingthe way for the largest bloc to form a government.

Read more: Iraq's Presidential vote was a coalition rehearsal —and the premiership battle has already begun

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Shiite clerical authority in Najaf, led by Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, reaffirmed it will not intervene in selecting a prime minister candidate, a source told Shafaq News on Monday, as Shiite political forces move to choose a premier.

The authority has “repeatedly conveyed” this stance to Coordination Framework (CF) leaders and closed its doors to politicians, signaling it will not engage in consultations over top posts.

The CF was set to meet today to discuss nine candidates for prime minister, including a potential compromise figure; however, another source confirmed that the talks has been postponed due to disagreements among its members.

Under Article 76 of the constitution, the largest parliamentary bloc has 15 days to nominate a prime minister following the election of a president, a step that formally begins the government formation process. Parliament elected Nizar Amedi on Saturday, completing the constitutional requirement before assigning the largest bloc to form a government.

Read more: Iraq's premiership battle has already begun

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Bahrain's Foreign Ministry summoned Iraq's Chargé d'Affaires Ahmed Ismail al-Karawi on Monday, delivering a formal protest note over continued drone attacks on the kingdom and Gulf Cooperation Council states launched from Iraqi territory.

Director General of Bilateral Relations Ambassador Abdullah bin Ali Al-Khalifa conveyed Bahrain's "strong condemnation" of the strikes and pressing Iraq to address the attacks urgently and responsibly in line with relevant international and regional laws and conventions.

The summoning makes Bahrain the third Gulf state in recent days to formally protest Iraq over cross-border drone attacks, following similar moves by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) claimed hundreds of attacks on US interests in the Gulf region since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28.

Read more: Iraqi Armed factions' cross-border attacks draw legal warnings and Arab pressure

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Coordination Framework's meeting, scheduled for Monday at the residence of Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Al-Hikma (Wisdom) National Movement, has been postponed after several Framework leaders boycotted the session, a political source told Shafaq News.

The postponement will hold until attendance of all leadership is confirmed, to settle the prime ministerial file within the constitutional 15-day window following the election of the president.

Amer al-Fayez, head of the Tasmeem Alliance, had revealed that the Framework was intended to discuss nine prime ministerial candidates at Monday's meeting.

Read More: Iraq Government Formation: The Constitution that cannot enforce its own deadlines

Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraqi politicalsources revealed Monday a governmental and political push to revive the posts ofvice president, with a proposal to assign the two positions to Nouri al-Malikiand Mohammed al-Halbousi as part of broader settlement efforts aimed atachieving political balance.

The pairingreflects Iraq's informal power-sharing system known as muhasasa, under whichkey state posts are distributed along sectarian and ethnic lines —al-Maliki isa Shiite, and al-Halbousi is a Sunni.

Thevice-presidential posts were abolished by the government of Haider al-Abadi in2016 as part of a reform package, before the Federal Supreme Court later ruledthe abolition unconstitutional, affirming that the position is a constitutionalobligation.

One source toldShafaq News that political forces within the State Administration Coalition,which includes the main Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish parties, are studying amechanism to reactivate the two posts, with both figures potentially open tothe proposal.

ParliamentSpeaker Haibet al-Halbousi called on President Nizar Amiedi, following hisswearing-in on Saturday, April 11, to consult with political blocs onnominating vice presidents in accordance with Article 75 of the Iraqiconstitution.

Firas al-Maslamawi,spokesman for the Reconstruction and Development Coalition bloc, led bycaretaker PM Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, said that while reactivating the posts isunder discussion within political understandings, al-Maliki had previouslyrejected the position and is unlikely to accept it even if reactivated, with nodecision expected soon.

On the primeministerial question, al-Maslamawi said al-Sudani remains the frontrunner for asecond term, backed by the majority of Framework factions, with theReconstruction and Development Coalition holding 51 parliamentary seats.However, another political source told Shafaq News that al-Sudani has receivedcautionary messages from Shiite leaders warning him not to rely on thepresidential election results, as the numbers are not fixed and the previousscenario may not repeat.

Al-Maliki,leader of the State of Law Coalition, separately told Framework leaders Mondayhe is willing to withdraw his own prime ministerial candidacy on the conditionthat al-Sudani is not nominated for a second term. He also stipulated that nofigure who previously served as prime minister be considered, a condition understoodto target former premier Haider al-Abadi.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Nourial-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition, has told Coordination Frameworkleaders he is willing to withdraw his candidacy for prime minister on thecondition that incumbent PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is not nominated for asecond term, a source told Shafaq News Monday.

Read more: Iraq Government Formation: The Constitution that cannot enforce its own deadlines

Al-Maliki also stipulatedthat no figure who previously served as prime minister be nominated, acondition, the source pointed out, understood by other figures, to targetHaider al-Abadi, leader of the al-Nasr Coalition, who previously served asprime minister from 2014 to 2018 during the war against ISIS.

According to the source, several names are under consideration for the post, though no candidate has been finalized, and today’s Coordination Framework meeting is expected to discuss al-Maliki's conditions and examine alternative candidates.

The source noted that PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces) leadership is expected to play a role in determining the final nominee, and that the meeting may not produce a conclusive decision, with a final choice potentially deferred to a subsequent session.

Read more: Nouri Al-Maliki’s return rekindles Iraq’s divisions as Iran and the US pull apart

The Reconstruction and Development Coalition (Al-Ima'ar wal-Tanmiya) confirmed Monday it is strongly pushing its leader, al-Sudani, as its candidate to form the next Iraqi government, with a decision potentially expected within 48 hours.

The Coordination Framework, which holds the largest bloc in parliament, was formally tasked by the Speaker of the Council of Representatives on April 11 to nominate a prime ministerial candidate within 15 days. Once a candidate is approved, the designated premier has 30 days to present a cabinet and secure a parliamentary confidence vote, in accordance with Article 76 of the Iraqi constitution.

Read more: Al-Maliki sounds different this time — the world is not convinced yet

Shafaq News- Baghdad

TheReconstruction and Development Coalition (Al-Ima'ar wal-Tanmiya) confirmedMonday it is strongly pushing its leader, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, as itscandidate to form the next Iraqi government, with a decision potentiallyexpected within 48 hours.

Khaled Walid, asenior coalition official, told Shafaq News that al-Sudani currently commandsbroad support within the Coordination Framework, with more than nine factionsbacking his nomination for a second term, adding that support for al-Sudanialso extends beyond the Framework to other Iraqi political parties.

"Webelieve the next 48 hours could be decisive regarding al-Sudani's mandate toform the new Iraqi government, particularly given the challenges facing Iraq,which certainly require a government with broad political cover capable of overcomingthe crises the country is going through," Walid said.

Read more: Iraq's Presidential vote: a rehearsal for the premiership battle

TheCoordination Framework, a bloc grouping predominantly Shiite politicalfactions, is scheduled to hold a decisive meeting Monday evening to discussnine candidates for the prime ministerial post, according to Amer al-Fayez,head of the Tasmeem Alliance.

A politicalsource said Saturday that Basem al-Badri is being considered as a compromisecandidate for the post within the Framework.

Read more: Iraq Government Formation: The Constitution that cannot enforce its own deadlines

The Framework, which holds the largest bloc inparliament, was formally tasked by the Speaker of the Council ofRepresentatives on April 11 to nominate a prime ministerial candidate within 15 days. Once a candidate is approved, the designated premier has 30 days topresent a cabinet and secure a parliamentary confidence vote, in accordancewith Article 76 of the Iraqi constitution.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

On Sunday, Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani andLebanese President Joseph Aoun called on major international powers to takeresponsibility for violations in Lebanon and the direct targeting of civilians.

The PM’s office said Al-Sudani discussed developments in Lebanon withAoun, and condemned the attacks targeting Lebanon by "the Zionistoccupation forces [Israeli forces], stressing Iraq’s firm position insupporting the Lebanese people.”

Earlier today, Lebanese media outlets reported that Israeli airstrikesacross southern Lebanon killed 22 people and wounded 40, while Hezbollahtargeted Israeli troops, vehicles, and settlements, using rockets and drones.

Since hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel resumed on March 2,Israeli strikes have killed more than 2,055 people and injured 6,588 others,including children and women, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Nouri al-Maliki remained the Coordination Framework’s (CF) only formally voted prime ministerial candidate, CF member Abu Mithaq al-Massari told Shafaq News on Sunday, warning that any move to replace him required a written withdrawal of his nomination before alternatives could be considered.

The remarks came as Tasmim Alliance chief Amer al-Fayez disclosed that the Framework would sit down tomorrow at the home of al-Hikma (Wisdom) Movement leader Ammar al-Hakim to weigh nine names: al-Maliki, caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, former PM Haider al-Abadi, Accountability and Justice Commission head Basim al-Badri, Asas Party leader Mohsen al-Mandalawi, Intelligence Service chief Hamid al-Shatri, PM adviser Mohammed Sahib al-Darraji, former Planning Minister Ali Shukri, and National Security Adviser Qassim al-Araji. No candidate held an edge over the others, al-Fayez said, and the meeting would settle on a selection mechanism.

Parliament Speaker Haibet al-Halbousi has given the Framework 15 days under Article 76 to name its candidate, following the inauguration of President Nizar Amedi earlier today.

Read more: The premiership battle has already begun

Shafaq News- Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry summoned Iraq's Ambassador Safia Taleb al-Suhail on Sunday over drone attacks on the kingdom and Gulf states launched from Iraqi soil.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Saud al-Sati delivered a formal protest note to the ambassador, according to a statement, conveying Saudi Arabia's condemnation of the strikes and urging Iraq to address such threats responsibly.

Al-Sati reiterated the kingdom's categorical rejection of violations of state sovereignty and attempts to destabilize the region, warning that Saudi Arabia would take all necessary measures to defend its security and protect its territory.

Read more: Iraqi Armed factions' cross-border attacks draw legal warnings and Arab pressure

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), Iraq’s largestparliamentary bloc, has reached a conditional truce between Iraqi armedfactions and the United States, an official told Shafaq News on Sunday.

According to Amer al-Fayez, head of the Tasmeem Alliance andpart of the CF, the committee previously formed by the bloc and chaired by HadiAl-Amiri, leader of the Badr Organization, secured an understanding under whichIraqi factions will suspend military activities against US interests in Iraqand the region, while the US will halt its attacks on sites linked to Iraq’sIslamic Resistance (IRI) and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), astate-affiliated paramilitary network.

“The suspension could extend beyond the two-week trucesigned between the US and Iran,” he added, noting that the military operationscould come to a complete halt.

Since February 28, IRI-affiliated factions such as KataibHezbollah and Harakat Al-Nujaba have claimed nearly 450 attacks targeting USmilitary facilities across Iraq and the wider region, describing the operationsas part of a broader campaign tied to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Meanwhile, USforces have targeted sites linked to the IRI and the PMF.

Read more: Iraqi Armed factions' cross-border attacks draw legal warnings and Arab pressure

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Nizar Amedi was formally inaugurated as President of Iraq on Sunday in an official ceremony at Baghdad Palace, a day after parliament elected him to the post.

The ceremony opened with the national anthem and an honor guard review, followed by a handover between Amedi and outgoing President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid. Amedi praised his predecessor's service, saying the peaceful transfer of power was "a fundamental pillar in consolidating democracy and strengthening state stability." Rashid wished the incoming president success in serving Iraq and meeting the aspirations of its people.

Amedi, a senior Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader, secured 227 votes in a second round of voting after no candidate cleared the two-thirds threshold in the first round. He becomes Iraq's sixth president since 2003.

Read more: Iraq's Presidential vote was a coalition rehearsal —and the premiership battle has already begun

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Sunday approved an update to the voter registry adding more than 2 million new voters born between 2008 and 2010, according to an official decision obtained by Shafaq News.

The IHEC said the newly eligible voters will undergo biometric registration and receive voter ID cards, with registration set to begin on April 30. The decision, approved unanimously by the commission’s board, expands the electorate by incorporating a new cohort of young voters as part of efforts to improve data accuracy and broaden participation.

Earlier expansions had added more than 1 million voters born in 2007 ahead of recent elections, bringing Iraq’s total eligible electorate to nearly 29 million, according to official figures. Still, despite the expansion, millions remain outside the electoral system, with estimates suggesting around 9 million eligible Iraqis have not registered to vote.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Four candidates are under consideration for Iraq’snext prime minister, with the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) expected tochoose a consensus nominee at a meeting on April 13, a source told Shafaq Newson Sunday.

Discussions are leaning toward a figure who has notpreviously held the post, raising the possibility that caretaker Prime MinisterMohammed Shia al-Sudani and State of Law leader Nouri al-Maliki may beexcluded, the source said, noting that additional names could emerge if thecurrent shortlist fails to secure agreement.

Read more: Five contenders eye Iraq's top post: PM selection looms

The move comes after Parliament Speaker Haibetal-Halbousi formally requested the largest parliamentary bloc —the CF, whichholds about 185 of parliament’s 329 seats— to submit its nominee within 15days.

Speaking to Shafaq News, multiple sources within theFramework pointed to persistent divisions over potential candidates. Al-Sudani,who leads the Al Ima’ar wal Tanmiya (Reconstruction and Development) bloc with46 seats, remains in contention despite earlier backing for al-Maliki and hassignaled openness to a compromise figure.

Names under discussion also include Basim al-Badri,viewed by some factions as a potential consensus choice, while Asaib Ahl al-Haqleader Qais al-Khazali has put forward options such as Hamid al-Shatri.

According to the sources, the CF may ultimately moveaway from al-Maliki in favor of a new nominee, with Ammar al-Hakim, head ofal-Hikma (Wisdom) Movement, and al-Khazali expressing reservations, while BadrOrganization leader Hadi al-Amiri has yet to take a public position and isexpected to align with the final consensus.

Read more: Iraq's premiership battle has already begun

Shafaq News- Baghdad (Updated on Apr. 12 at 18:35)

Regional and international leaders on Saturday and Sunday sent congratulations to Iraq’s new President Nizar Amedi following his election.

The United Nations mission in Iraq congratulated Amedi, expressing support for stability, inclusive governance, and the democratic aspirations of the Iraqi people.

الجمهورية نزار ئاميدي يتلقى تهنئة الأمم المتحدة بمناسبة انتخابه رئيساً للجمهوريةأكد مكتب البعثة الدولية في تهنئته، دعمه للاستقرار وتعزيز الحوكمة الشاملة والتطلعات الديمقراطية للشعب العراقي. pic.twitter.com/qKFKoDA8L2

— رئاسة جمهورية العراق (@IraqiPresidency) April 12, 2026

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated Amedi, expressing hope that cooperation between the two countries would expand across various fields, describing Iraq and Iran as influential countries with deep historical and cultural ties.

The Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq also congratulated Amedi on assuming the presidency, according to Iraqi state media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Amedi and expressed hope his efforts would help strengthen friendly and historical ties between Iraq and Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Iraq’s stability, the continuity of its institutions, and the full exercise of state sovereignty are “more necessary than ever” for the country and the Middle East, adding that France stands alongside Iraq.

أتقدّم بخالص التهاني إلى نزار أميدي بمناسبة انتخابه رئيسًا لجمهورية العراق.إن استقرار العراق، واستمرارية مؤسساته، والممارسة التامة لسيادة الدولة، أمور ضرورية اليوم اكثر من أي وقت مضى للبلاد وللمنطقة. وفرنسا تقف إلى جانب شريكها العراقي.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 11, 2026

Shafaq News- Baghdad (Updated at 22:45)

Political leaders in Iraq on Saturdaycongratulated Nizar Amedi after his election as Iraq’s new President.

Leaders within the ShiiteCoordination Framework, parliament’s largest bloc, including Caretaker PrimeMinister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq Secretary-General QaisAl-Khazali, and Al-Hikma Movement leader Ammar Al-Hakim, were the first to issuestatements.

pic.twitter.com/KQVYbXxjY6

— قيس الخزعلي (@Qais_alkhazali) April 11, 2026

Al-Sudani said Amedi’s election“enhances the democratic path” and completes the constitutional process,stressing the need to form a strong government to address economic and securitychallenges.

The Shiite Coordination Framework itself described Amedi’s election as an important step in completing the state-building process and consolidating the democratic path, calling for unified efforts and prioritizing national interests in the next phase, while the Islamic Dawa Party, part of the alliance, also congratulated Amedi on his election.

Parliament Speaker Haibat Al-Halbousi described the vote as a constitutional entitlement that lawmakers were keen to complete, as his First Deputy Adnan Fayhan congratulated Amedi on gaining the confidence of the legislative authority and his election as President.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Basim al-Badri has emerged as a leading compromise candidate within the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) for Iraq's next prime minister, Amer al-Fayez, a CF leader and head of the Tasmim parliamentary bloc, told Shafaq News Saturday.

A separate source told Shafaq News that the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, headed by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and the State of Law Coalition, headed by former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, had reached an understanding to back a consensus figure, with al-Badri's name set to be tabled at the upcoming meeting. "He has higher chances as a settlement candidate inside the Framework," the source said.

Al-Badri heads the Accountability and Justice Commission and is a member of the Islamic Dawa Party, led by al-Maliki, with connections inside and outside the country. Former Deputy Parliament Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi was also named as a competing candidate still in the running.

Parliament Speaker Haibet al-Halbousi has called on the largest parliamentary bloc to name its prime ministerial candidate within 15 days under Article 76 of the constitution, following Saturday's election of Nizar Amedi as president.

Read more: Iraq Government Formation: The Constitution that cannot enforce its own deadlines

ShafaqNews- Baghdad

NizarAmedi, the newly elected President of Iraq, pledged to govern on the principleof "Iraq First" and condemned attacks targeting Iraqi territory amidthe ongoing regional conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the United States.

Following the chamber’s announcement of theresults, Amedi acknowledged the scale of the challenges facing the country,stating that Iraq faces complex problems across multiple sectors and iscommitted to working alongside the executive, legislative, and judicialauthorities to address them.

Thepresident said he would act as a defender of the Iraqi people's interests andexpressed support for efforts to end the war. The Council of Ministers isscheduled to begin the constitutional government-formation process followingSaturday's election, under which the president is required to task the leaderof the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a cabinet within fifteen days.

Read more: Iraq picks Nizar Amedi sixth president

ShafaqNews- Baghdad

ParliamentSpeaker Haibat Al-Halbousi on Saturday gave Iraq’s largest parliamentary bloc, the Shiite Coordination Framework, 15 days to nominate a prime minister following the election of new President NizarAmedi.

Amedi secured 227 votes in a second-round runoff after no candidate met the two-thirds threshold in the initial vote. A senior Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader and former environment minister, Amedi has held multiple senior roles within Iraq’s presidency since 2005, including chief of staff to three presidents, and currently serves in the State Administration Coalition.

Read more: Iraq picks Nizar Amedi as sixth president

Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraq’sParliament elected Nizar Amedi as president on Saturday, following a secondround of voting in which he secured 227 votes.

The votecame after no candidate reached the two-thirds threshold (220 out of 329lawmakers) in the first round, sending the process to a runoff underconstitutional rules requiring half-plus-one, or 165 votes.

Parliamentannounced the result after completing the vote-counting process for the secondround, in which 249 lawmakers participated.

Lawmakersfrom the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the largest Kurdish bloc inparliament and a rival to Amedi’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), boycottedthe session.

Amedi hadled the first round with 208 votes, advancing alongside independent candidateMuthanna Amin. With his victory, he becomes Iraq’s sixth president since 2003,following the fall of the Baath Party regime led by former president SaddamHussein.

Read more: Iraq’s April 11 presidential vote: Who willattend?

Who is NizarAmedi?

Amedi is asenior PUK party leader and former Iraqi environment minister. He resigned fromhis ministerial post in 2024 to focus on political and party work. He currentlyheads the PUK’s political bureau in Baghdad and is a member of the StateAdministration Coalition. Amedi holds a degree in mechanical engineering andhas played a growing role in the PUK’s federal-level strategy.

Hepreviously served as chief of staff to the current President Abdul Latif JamalRashid in 2022, and held the same post under former President Barham Salihbetween 2018 and 2022. He also acted as the president’s representative to theCouncil of Ministers.

Earlier inhis career, Amedi headed the office of former President Fuad Masum from 2014 to2018, and served as chief of staff to the late President Jalal Talabani between2008 and 2014. From 2005 to 2008, he worked as Talabani’s personal secretary,placing him among a small circle of officials with long-standing institutionalexperience at the heart of Iraq’s presidency.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Parliament failed on Saturdayto elect a new president in the first round of voting, sending the process to asecond round as no candidate secured the required majority.

Under the constitution, the firstround requires a two-thirds majority of parliament (220 out of 329lawmakers). If no candidate secures the required votes, the election moves to asecond round requiring half-plus-one, or 165 votes.

Four candidates contested thesession: Nizar Amedi of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), independentMuthanna Amin, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein of the Kurdistan Democratic Party(KDP), and independent Abdullah Mohammed al-Ulayawi.

Amedi led with 208 votes, followedby Amin with 17, Hussein with 16, and al-Ulayawi with two votes, out of 252lawmakers present.

Parliament Speaker Haibetal-Halbousi announced a second round, confirming that Amedi and Amin willcompete in the runoff after securing the highest vote totals, while the othertwo candidates were eliminated.

Read more: Iraq’s April 11 presidential vote: Who willattend?

Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraq’s Huqooq(Rights) parliamentary bloc, the political wing of Kataib Hezbollah armedgroup, boycotted the presidential election session on Saturday, rejecting “implicit”political agreements linking the vote to the selection of a prime minister.

The bloc’ssix lawmakers withdrew from the session, a move that does not affect therequired quorum of 220 out of 329 members.

Speaking ata press conference, MP Hussein Moanes, the bloc's head, stressed that the bloc had conditionedits attendance on the absence of any prior arrangements over naming a primeminister-designate, adding that “what we observed today contradicts thatunderstanding.” He described the reported coordination between some factions onboth the presidency and premiership as unclear and unacceptable.

MP Mohammedal-Hassnawi explained that the decision reflects opposition to entrenchedpolitical practices, particularly informal deals shaping government formation.He underlined that the bloc would not endorse processes that “reproducefailure,” calling instead for transparency and a clear path toward forming thenext government.

Parliamentconvened earlier today with 223 lawmakers present to elect a president from 16candidates, surpassing the constitutional quorum. The vote is a prerequisite tonaming a prime minister under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharing system, whichallocates the presidency to a Kurd, the premiership to a Shiite, and thespeakership to a Sunni Arab. The process has stalled for months due to disputesbetween the two main Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union ofKurdistan (PUK), over a joint candidate, as well as internal disputes within the ShiiteCoordination Framework, which nominated former PM Nouri al-Maliki but remainssplit over his candidacy amid reported US opposition.

Severalfactions —including the KDP, the State of Law Coalition, and the Al-AzmAlliance— also boycotted the session, arguing that proceeding without priorpolitical consensus violates power-sharing norms, while other blocs —includingthe National State Forces Alliance, the Taqaddum Party, the PUK, theReconstruction and Development Coalition, Sadiqoon, and the Iraqi TurkmenFront— insisted on holding the session as scheduled.

Read more: Iraq’s April 11 presidential vote: Who willattend?

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed faction,on Saturday warned that a durable settlement in the Middle East remainsunlikely, stressing that the Axis of Resistance* remains prepared for renewedconflict.

In a statement, Secretary-General Abu Husseinal-Hamidawi described the recent 40-day war as a “major historic victory,”arguing it compelled Israel and the United States to accept a new equation,referring to the two-week ceasefire and planned negotiations with Iran inIslamabad.

The confrontation, al-Hamidawi said, clarifiedopposing camps, cautioning that while active fighting has subsided, underlyingtensions persist and could escalate again. He also pointed to the concept of“unity of arenas” as an established reality spanning multiple countries andgroups, calling for further strengthening of military capabilities.

A two-week ceasefire between the United States andIran was announced on Wednesday after mediation by Pakistan, contingent onreopening the Strait of Hormuz. Since the escalation began on Feb. 28 andexpanded on March 2, factions within the Iran-aligned Islamic Resistance inIraq, including Kataib Hezbollah, have claimed nearly 450 attacks targeting USmilitary facilities across Iraq and the wider region.

Despite this, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announceda two-week suspension of operations in line with the temporary ceasefirebetween Washington and Tehran.

Read more: Iraqi Armed factions' cross-border attacks draw legal warnings and Arab pressure

* The Axis of Resistance is an Iran-aligned coalitionof armed factions, including Palestinian groups, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Yemen’sAnsarallah (Houthis) movement, Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, and othergroups.

Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraq’sParliament convened on Saturday to elect a new president, with 16 candidatescompeting for the post.

SpeakerHaibet al-Halbousi opened the session after securing quorum with 223 lawmakerspresent out of a total of 329 members, as the chamber moved directly intovoting procedures.

Al-Halbousisaid 18 candidates had initially registered for the race, but two —Asu FaridunAli and incumbent President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid— withdrew, leaving 16contenders.

Read more: Iraq’s April 11 presidential vote: Who will attend?