The Securities Commission grants the first license to a foreign brokerage firm to operate in Iraq.
On Sunday, the Securities Authority announced that it had granted official approval to a foreign brokerage firm to operate in the securities markets, making it the first company to receive this approval in accordance with the modern regulatory procedures adopted by the Authority.
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The commission confirmed in a statement that this step comes within its ongoing efforts to regulate and develop the work environment in the Iraqi financial market and enhance transparency and efficiency in line with best international practices, and in a way that contributes to supporting investment, stimulating trading activity and attracting global expertise to the market.
She explained that the approval was granted after the company completed all the technical and regulatory requirements, ensuring the integrity of the procedures and protecting the rights of investors, as well as raising the level of institutional performance of brokerage companies operating in the market.
The statement affirmed that this approval is an important indicator of the Authority’s direction towards opening new horizons for brokerage companies, especially foreign ones, and encouraging the entry of new companies that contribute to the development of the Iraqi capital market and enhance investor confidence in it, which represents one of the Authority’s main objectives in regulating, protecting and developing the market.
The reason for postponing the vote on the cabinet today has been revealed.
Al-Saadawi told Al-Furat News Agency, “It was likely that the Al-Zidi government would be given confidence today in the House of Representatives after all preparations were completed; however, the vote was postponed as a result of some political blocs not deciding on their candidates for the ministries.”
He added that "it is too early to announce the completion of the cabinet due to the existence of disagreements between the political blocs," indicating that "the absence of a fully empowered government is having a negative impact on the country."
Al-Saadawi pointed out that "there are major obstacles facing the prime minister-designate, even from within the coordination framework and the rest of the national space, which requires more consultation and effort to convince the blocs to proceed with presenting the cabinet and voting on it within the House of Representatives."
He pointed out that "Al-Zidi has a strong incentive to complete his cabinet through consultation and understanding with various political forces."
Regarding the challenges facing the new government, Al-Saadawi explained that "the first of these is the financial file," expecting "its move towards raising the exchange rate of the dinar to reduce the deficit in the 2026 budget," considering "this a difficult decision in addition to the security challenges in the region, especially the American-Iranian war and the repercussions it imposes on the country."
He concluded by saying that "the next government needs a clear economic and security vision to keep Iraq away from the region's conflicts."
Source: Qaani arrives in Baghdad
An informed source reported on Saturday night that the commander of the Quds Force, Ismail Qaani, had arrived in the capital, Baghdad.
The source told Roj News that “Qaani arrived in the capital, Baghdad, on an unannounced visit.”
He added that “Qaani will hold several meetings with Iraqi officials.”
Qaani had previously visited Baghdad recently, during talks on forming the Iraqi government, in what was his first visit after an absence of nearly a year.
The “framework” was surprised by the extent of American support… Did it get involved in nominating Al-Zaidi?
The general rushes to Baghdad to salvage the "quiet infiltration".
The "quiet arrangements" for forming the new government have, over the past two weeks, devolved into something resembling "open chaos," according to a well-informed Shiite political source. This sudden shift brought the Iranian general back to Baghdad and disrupted understandings that, until recently, seemed almost finalized.
This confusion coincides with the stalled attempts at rapprochement between Tehran and Washington and the rising likelihood of a return to brinkmanship. Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi was preparing to present his cabinet this week, before these new developments pushed for a possible postponement until the end of May or the beginning of June.
Al-Zaidi now finds himself in a highly complex situation, caught between American pressure to remove the factions from key state institutions and escalating Iranian pressure exerted through armed groups that reject any talk of dismantling their influence or disarming.
Why did the general return?
In less than a month, Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, returned to Baghdad, amid indications that the previously "quiet" understandings within the "coordination framework" have faltered.
A Shiite politician close to the negotiations says, "Things have descended into chaos," attributing this to "the tug-of-war between Tehran and Washington."
Speaking to Al-Mada on condition of anonymity, he adds, "There have been inexplicable changes in the Iranian position regarding the government formation arrangements, and at a surprising time."
He continues, "Iran was apparently satisfied with the formula upon which the groundwork for the new government was laid, but now it has returned to objecting, without any clear reasons."
On Saturday evening, information leaked about Qani's arrival in Baghdad, just hours after Muqtada al-Sadr's speech, in which he again warned against "the perfumer's concoction," a phrase he uses to refer to Iranian influence, in what appeared to be an early hint at the visit before it was reported in the media.
Qani's visits to Iraq are usually kept secret for security reasons, especially after the recent war. News of the visit typically circulates after he has left the country, and announcements are often made at the weekend.
The Shiite politician believes that Washington exerted "unusual pressure" regarding the participation of Iran's allies in the new government, causing confusion within the "coordination framework," especially after the extent of support al-Zaidi enjoys from the United States and other countries became clear.
According to what is being circulated behind the scenes, the American conditions have expanded to include barring figures affiliated with the factions from holding any public office, even at the director-general level, which factional circles consider "political purging." The
Iranian move comes at a time when Tehran and Washington appear closer to confrontation than to compromise, while Baghdad, according to analysts, is considered the last center of significant Iranian influence after the setbacks suffered by the so-called "axis of resistance" in Lebanon and Syria.
Despite the political and military blows Tehran has suffered in recent months, it has not abandoned its allies in Iraq and has repeatedly sent Qassem Soleimani back to maintain the balance of power.
Last month, Iran was supposed to have succeeded in brokering a "silent end" to the government formation crisis, which had lasted nearly six months between Mohammed al-Sudani and Nouri al-Maliki.
Following Qani's first visit in mid-April, the "Coordination Framework," for the first time since the 2025 elections, managed to present a consensus candidate for prime minister, a move that Washington seemed to embrace quickly.
Former politician and MP Mithal al-Alusi told Al-Mada that the administration of US President Donald Trump had agreed to support al-Zaidi, although the identity of the party that put forward his candidacy remained unclear.
Al-Alusi linked al-Zaidi's rising popularity to what he described as "al-Sudani's mistake" in the ambush of American diplomats in early April, during the transfer of a journalist held hostage by armed groups.
According to available information, Washington considered several alternative names to al-Sudani but found insufficient indications that these figures were capable of containing Iran's influence or controlling the armed factions.
At the height of that crisis, Tehran had pushed through what became known as the "quiet infiltration" plan, aimed at repositioning the factions within state institutions through unknown figures, while superficially disarming them.
"Trump is lying!"
Walid al-Hayali, a leader in the Badr Organization headed by Hadi al-Amiri, says, "Talk of Trump supporting Ali al-Zaidi is untrue, and there is no real evidence of it."
He adds, in a statement to Al-Mada, "Trump views Iraq through the lens of its wealth and economy, and perhaps he saw in al-Zaidi a suitable financial figure, so he tried to ride the wave and suggest that he was behind his nomination, but this is inaccurate."
However, he points to the existence of "a team working behind the scenes" that helped al-Zaidi build relationships with Washington and other countries.
Trump had said last Saturday evening that what had happened in Iraq recently was "satisfactory," emphasizing that he was "happy with the selection of the prime minister-designate."
Nevertheless, there are still no clear indications that al-Zaidi intends to confront the armed factions, as he did not meet with some of these groups during the recent rounds of negotiations, even though they were among the forces that supported his nomination within the "coordination framework." Meanwhile
, leaks are increasing regarding the existence of a tripartite committee concerned with the disarmament of the factions, comprising Mohammed al-Sudani, Hadi al-Amiri, and al-Zaidi.
Muqtada al-Sadr further complicated the situation by calling for the transformation of the armed factions into "soldiers of religious rites" – in his statement last Friday – under the authority of the Hajj and Umrah Commission, or their conversion into humanitarian relief organizations. He declared that anyone who rejects this would be "outlaws."
Sources close to al-Sadr believe the proposal represents a "lifeline" for the factions and the incoming government, offering a way to avoid assassinations or international sanctions, in exchange for disbanding the armed wings of the Sadr movement.
Al-Sadr's statement came after a six-month silence that coincided with the government formation crisis, and he once again used the expression "a concoction of the perfumer," referring to the complexity of the political landscape and the potential for an explosion.
Meanwhile, factions like Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba are clinging to their weapons, considering relinquishing them a "red line," according to statements by the latter's leader, Akram al-Kaabi.
The factions' silence regarding Trump's statements and his call to al-Zaidi, as well as his support for forming a "terrorism-free" government—a move understood by the US as targeting armed groups—was striking. This was seen as part of a strategy of "quiet infiltration."
What will become of the government?
Even before news leaked of Qani's return to Baghdad, the chances of passing the cabinet this week seemed high, but recent developments have overturned those expectations.
Political analyst Wael al-Rikabi, close to Maliki's team, says that "the pressure from the parties to divide the ministries, along with American pressure to exclude the factions, may lead to postponing the vote on the government until after the Eid holiday," meaning until the end of May or the beginning of June.
Behind the scenes of the negotiations, a fierce Shiite struggle is unfolding over the Ministry of Oil, which, according to the norms within the
"coordination framework," is supposed to go to the largest bloc, i.e., to Sudani's share.
However, according to political sources, Nouri al-Maliki is still clinging to the ministry and refusing to relinquish it at the last minute, despite the blow dealt to his candidate for the position, Ali Ma'araj al-Bahadli, the deputy oil minister.
Last Thursday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on al-Bahadli, along with two Iraqi factions, on charges of supporting Iran.
Last year, Al-Mada newspaper, citing informed sources, revealed that parties close to Iran had obstructed agreements to resume oil exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, which later led to a severe crisis after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the 40-day war.
Washington also imposed sanctions on leaders of the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militias on charges related to oil smuggling and the financing and arming of groups linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah.
Among those sanctioned was Laith al-Khazali, brother of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali, whose name had been circulating as a
potential candidate for the Ministry of Interior.
Walid al-Hayali believes that al-Zaydi must open the corruption files of the past three years, address the oil export crises, and prevent a repeat of the Hormuz crisis.
He asserts that the "coordination framework" was not involved in al-Zaydi's selection, just as it "was not involved previously in Mustafa al-Kadhimi's," adding that the framework "later regretted al-Kadhimi's removal from power."
Al-Hayali holds the Sudanese responsible for stirring up several political crises, especially after he began forming a large political alliance that participated in the elections in violation of the conditions of the Shiite alliance.
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Members of the House of Representatives confirmed on Sunday that the new cabinet is almost complete, while they indicated that discussions are continuing regarding some sovereign ministries in preparation for holding a voting session during this week.
Members of the House of Representatives said in a press statement followed by Al-Furat News that approximately 80 percent of the government formation has been completed, with a trend towards passing 50 percent plus one of the ministries, with the remaining ministerial portfolios to be completed at a later time.
They added that discussions are still ongoing regarding a number of sovereign ministries, most notably the Interior, Oil and Foreign Affairs ministries, in addition to dialogues related to restructuring some portfolios and creating a state ministry.
They indicated that the vote on the new government is expected to take place this week, without specifying an official date yet.
They indicated that there are parliamentary observations that will be raised during the discussion of the government program before proceeding with the voting process.
"Tehran is resilient, and regime change is a miscalculation."
Trump publishes first interview with an Iraqi politician: “American companies are building Iran.”
link
US President Donald Trump reposted on Truth Social an interview with Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, with Breitbart News on Monday (May 11, 2026), in which he highlighted Kurdistan’s vision for the post-war phase between Washington and Tehran, which is based on turning the conflict into a “major economic deal” between the two sides, and a warning against betting on the overthrow of the Iranian regime, in addition to confirming the region’s readiness to play a role in reducing escalation, and rejecting the use of the Kurds of Iran as a tool for regime change in Tehran.
The quote that Trump liked was a phrase in Talabani’s speech where he said, “Trump is a master of deals, and he can make a great deal to end the war with Iran and create a global economic boom.” Trump copied it as text attached to the link to the interview.
But what Talabani said went far beyond the quote Trump chose, as he criticized the ideas of regime change. In the interview he gave to Breitbart News, Talabani called for an American-Iranian agreement that goes beyond security and nuclear issues towards an economic partnership that includes energy, trade and lifting sanctions, considering that the entry of American companies into the Iranian market could create a “global economic boom” and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international navigation.
Talabani also offered an analysis of the nature of the Iranian regime, stressing that Iran is a “state of institutions” and not tied to one person, and that the war strengthened the unity of the Iranian interior and the sense of national pride, warning that any attempt to use the Kurds in Iran as a means to overthrow the regime would have led to a “massacre,” noting that the Trump administration realized early on that the option of regime change was not the right path.
“Breitbart News” is a popular American website for news, opinions and analysis, founded by American political commentator Andrew Breitbart in 2007.
Talabani's most notable statement
Qubad Talabani said in an interview with Breitbart News that “US President Donald Trump is capable of concluding a huge deal with Iran that would create a global economic boom and benefit both the United States and Iran in the aftermath of the war between the two countries. The agreement should be between the United States and Iran, and no third party should be allowed to spoil this agreement.”
He added: “I think that President Trump, if left to his own devices and truly sticking to the ‘America First’ agenda, can reach a good agreement with Iran, which is also a beneficial agreement for Iran.”
Talabani stressed that he encourages Trump to conclude a “stunning deal” with Iran, which includes key economic aspects along with ending Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
He said: “I think President Trump is a master dealmaker, and he understands that any agreement needs to be accepted by both parties in order to last. If an agreement is imposed by one party on the other, it may be reached, but it will not last. Therefore, what we need now is an agreement between the United States and Iran.”
Talabani gave the lengthy interview to Breitbart News in Delphi, on the sidelines of the Delphi Economic Forum in late April, during the early days of the ceasefire that was extended several times between the United States and Iran, when the outlines of a possible agreement began to take shape.
He said: “First, we need peace in the region and in Kurdistan. We encourage and support the agreement, and we have made it clear to all parties that we are ready to help in any way possible, whether through back channels or by exploiting Kurdistan’s strategic location to support de-escalation. We need this de-escalation.”
He added that “the impact of the war on Iraq and Kurdistan was significant, especially economically,” and that it also affected the rest of the world, noting that the region welcomes the ceasefire and its extension.
He continued: “As they say, ending a war takes more courage than starting one, and we hope that President Trump will do what is necessary to reach an agreement that brings peace to the region, and peace between the United States and Iran, which will have tremendous positive repercussions for the world.”
He added, “I hope that Iran and the United States will reach an agreement, and I also hope that other parties will not make efforts to derail this agreement.”
The likely timeline for ending the war
Talabani said: “I wish I could tell you, but I really don’t know, and nobody knows. I think the only person who might know is President Trump, and if he is left to his own devices and no other countries try to dissuade him from the agreement, then the chances of reaching it quickly will be greater.”
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Talabani said that opening it first requires concrete agreements between the United States and Iran: “I believe that there must be concrete agreements between the United States and Iran before the strait is opened. If it could be opened militarily, it would have already happened. There is an understanding that the strait can only be opened through an agreement.”
He noted that the Iranians are “skilled negotiators” and will not easily give up this important card without a clear quid pro quo.
Talabani said the Kurds agree with Trump's assessment of the failure of previous US policies in Iraq, explaining that after the recent war, Washington should engage economically with Iran and bring in US energy companies to help develop Iran's untapped oil and gas reserves due to international sanctions.
He added: “If we look beyond the security dimension between America and Iran, there is a huge economic world that can be built. Most of the discussions have been about the nuclear file and ballistic missiles, but I have not heard a discussion about the economic benefits of an agreement between Iran and the United States.”
He continued: “This could be a mutually beneficial agreement, significantly boosting Iran’s economy and giving American interests access to a huge new market that has been stifled for the past forty years. The opportunities are enormous.”
Talabani asserted that the idea of Iran possessing a nuclear weapon “is now over thanks to Trump,” but stressed that the success of any agreement requires expanding the scope of negotiations to include the economy, energy, oil, and minerals.
He said: “If we limit ourselves to the nuclear and ballistic missile files, there will not be much room for an agreement. But if we broaden our horizons to look at the other benefits for both sides and for the global economy, there are many factors that could make this agreement excellent.”
He noted that Trump, in turn, spoke about the possibility of American energy companies entering Iran as part of a comprehensive agreement, as he had done previously in other countries such as Venezuela and Greece.
China's role
Talabani said regarding China's role: "China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, but you will not find an international party that does not want to open the Strait. Everyone wants it, and that is why everyone must use their influence to push the parties towards an agreement."
He added that any final agreement must include the economy, infrastructure, lifting sanctions, increasing trade, and Iran's return as a globally welcomed player.
He also said the agreement could include the development of rare earth minerals and elements, but warned against underestimating Iran’s current level of unity.
He added: “I think both sides need to walk away from the agreement feeling victorious. Trump achieved his goals from the war, and at the same time Iran proved to be more resilient than many expected.”
He pointed out that there is “exaggeration” in the talk about the division between Iranian diplomats and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, saying: “Iran today is very united as a state and as a people. The damage that has been done to it has created a sense of national pride.”
Talabani stressed that Iran is not like Syria or Iraq under Saddam Hussein, where the fall of the ruler meant the fall of the state.
He said: “Iran is a state of institutions, with a military, civilian, paramilitary and religious institution, each with its own structure. Those who thought that overthrowing the leadership would lead to the collapse of the regime made a mistake in their calculations.”
The impact of the war on Iraq
Talabani stressed: “Iraq depends primarily on oil, as does the Kurdistan Region. When the strait is closed, no oil is sold, which means no revenue.”
He added that a large part of the region’s revenues also depend on trade between Iraq and Iran, and therefore the cessation of trade has caused significant economic damage. He stressed that the regional government has been clear with all parties that the Kurds of Iran should not be used as a tool for regime change in Tehran.
He said: “We did not think this was a good policy, and I am very glad that President Trump also came to this conclusion. If the Kurds had been used as the spearhead in this matter, they would have been massacred.”
He concluded by saying that the United States realized early on that Iran’s Kurds “were not the right means” to bring about regime change in Iran.
