Iraq parliament approves al-Zaidi’s cabinet amid growing economic concerns

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a parliamentary session to approve the remaining members of his cabinet in Baghdad, Iraq, on October 15, 2026 [Handout/Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office via Reuters]

Iraq’s parliament has completed the formation of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government after lawmakers approved previously vacant cabinet posts and three deputy prime ministers, including one who is under US sanctions.

Lawmakers voted on Thursday, approving 11 portfolios, including Nayef al-Shammari as defence minister, Yasir al-Maliki as interior minister, a planning minister, a culture minister and a minister of higher education and scientific research.

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Lawmakers postponed a vote on the nominee for migration and displacement minister due to disagreement among parties.

Lawmakers also approved three deputy prime ministers, including Laith al-Khazali, a senior leader of the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement and brother of the group’s leader, Qais al-Khazali.

The US designated Asaib Ahl al-Haq as a foreign terrorist organisation in 2020 and named both brothers as “specially designated global terrorists”, citing attacks including a 2007 assault that killed five US soldiers. The Treasury Department had sanctioned the brothers in 2019 over the killing of protesters in Iraq.

In a statement following the cabinet approval, al-Zaidi thanked parliament and called upon his fellow deputy prime ministers and ministers to “fulfil their responsibilities with the highest levels of commitment, competence and integrity”. He said the government was embarking on a phase of accelerated, diligent work to address exceptional economic and security challenges imposed by the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28.

Challenges facing Iraq

Iraq is facing severe liquidity shortages stemming from the ongoing conflict. Before the war, Iraq exported roughly 3.5 million barrels of oil per day through the Strait of Hormuz, generating 90 percent of government revenue. Al-Zaidi said the war “has imposed, and continues to impose, extraordinary economic challenges on Iraq.”

A man counts Iraqi dinars at a currency exchange market in Baghdad on October 7, 2026 [Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP]

To cover essential public spending and government salaries, al-Zaidi, a former banker, devalued the dinar by almost 15 percent against the US dollar.

He said his government inherited public debt exceeding 208 trillion Iraqi dinars ($139bn at the new exchange rate) when it took office in May, raising questions about former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s administration. Al-Zaidi added that the state needs about 10 trillion dinars ($6.7bn) monthly to cover salaries and critical spending.

Al-Zaidi vowed to fight corruption, disarm non-state armed groups and strengthen sovereignty by completing the withdrawal of US forces from the country.

2026年10月15日，伊拉克总理阿里·扎伊迪在伊拉克巴格达出席议会会议，批准内阁剩余成员名单。[图片由伊拉克总理媒体办公室通过路透社提供]

伊拉克议会已完成总理阿里·扎伊迪政府的组建，议员们批准了此前空缺的内阁职位和三名副总理的任命，其中包括一名受到美国制裁的副总理。

议员们周四投票通过了 11 个部长职位，其中包括任命纳伊夫·沙马里为国防部长，亚西尔·马利基为内政部长，以及一名计划部长、一名文化部长和一名高等教育与科学研究部长。

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由于各党派意见不一，议员们推迟了对移民和流离失所部长提名人的投票。

议员们还批准了三名副总理的任命，其中包括伊朗支持的“正义联盟”运动的高级领导人莱斯·哈扎利，他是该组织领导人凯斯·哈扎利的兄弟。

美国于2020年将“正义联盟”（Asaib Ahl al-Haq）列为外国恐怖组织，并将该组织两兄弟列为“特别指定的全球恐怖分子”，理由是他们发动了包括2007年造成五名美军士兵死亡的袭击在内的多项恐怖活动。美国财政部曾于2019年因伊拉克境内发生的示威者遭杀害事件而对两兄弟实施制裁。

在内阁批准后发表的声明中，扎伊迪感谢议会，并呼吁其他副总理和部长“以最高的敬业精神、能力和诚信履行职责”。他表示，政府正着手加快步伐，认真应对自2月28日美以对伊战争爆发以来，伊朗面临的严峻经济和安全挑战。

伊拉克面临的挑战

伊拉克正面临因持续冲突而导致的严重流动性短缺。战前，伊拉克每天通过霍尔木兹海峡出口约350万桶石油，石油收入占政府财政收入的90%。扎伊迪表示，战争“已经并将继续给伊拉克带来巨大的经济挑战”。

2026年10月7日，一名男子在巴格达一家货币兑换市场清点伊拉克第纳尔。[Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP]

为了支付必要的公共开支和政府工资，曾是银行家的扎伊迪将第纳尔对美元贬值了近 15%。

他表示，本届政府5月上任时，继承了超过208万亿伊拉克第纳尔（按新汇率约合1390亿美元）的公共债务，这引发了人们对前总理穆罕默德·什叶派苏丹尼执政能力的质疑。扎伊迪补充说，国家每月需要约10万亿第纳尔（约合67亿美元）来支付工资和关键支出。

扎伊迪誓言要打击腐败，解除非国家武装团体的武装，并通过完成美军从该国撤军来加强国家主权。