The President of the Republic: I assure you that we will work on the principle of "Iraq First".
President-elect Nizar Amidi affirmed on Saturday his commitment to the principle of "Iraq First," while condemning the attacks targeting Iraq.
The video for this My FX Buddies Blog is below here:
In a speech before the Council of Representatives, which was monitored by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the President stated, "My appointment is a great responsibility," explaining that he "appreciates the magnitude of the challenges facing our country."
He added, "I affirm my commitment to working with the executive, legislative, and judicial authorities," noting that "we support efforts to end the war."
The President condemned the attacks targeting Iraq, indicating that he "will work to defend the interests of the Iraqi people."
He emphasized that "our country faces complex problems in several areas," stating, "I assure you that we will work according to the principle of 'Iraq First.'"
Parliament requires the largest bloc to name the prime minister within 15 days
Speaker of Parliament Haibat al-Halbousi called on the largest parliamentary bloc on Saturday to nominate its candidate for prime minister within 15 days, stressing that the constitution obligates the president and the largest bloc to complete this process within the specified timeframe.
Speaking after the presidential election, al-Halbousi said, "The country is going through a difficult and exceptional period, and we must all bear the legal and legitimate responsibility to guide the country to safety." He added, "The second step has been completed with the election of the president."
He further stated that "the president and the parliamentary bloc that was presented in the first session, and which is the largest bloc, are obligated, according to Article 76 of the constitution, to present their candidate within a maximum period of 15 days." He noted that "parliament will monitor the completion of this period in accordance with the constitution and the law."
He explained that "the country is experiencing a difficult economic situation, and a caretaker government is not permitted, according to the constitution, to proceed with any financial, economic, or reform measures." He emphasized the necessity of "expediting the formation of the government because people's livelihoods depend on it."
For his part, outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani congratulated Nizar Mohammed Saeed Amidi on his election as President of the Republic, affirming that "this step strengthens the democratic process and completes the constitutional path."
Al-Sudani added that "the next phase requires fulfilling the crucial requirement of forming a strong coalition government within the framework of national and constitutional principles," noting the importance of "continuing the development process, strengthening foreign relations, and confronting security and economic challenges." He
expressed his gratitude to the Speaker of Parliament, its members, and the political forces that contributed to achieving this milestone, and commended the role of the Supreme Judicial Council in supporting the fulfillment of the constitutional deadlines.
The Iraqi Parliament elected Nizar Amidi, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's candidate, as the new President of the Republic on Saturday evening, April 11.
After the new Iraqi President took the oath, Parliament adjourned the session.
Parliament requires the largest bloc to name the prime minister within 15 days
Speaker of Parliament Haibat al-Halbousi called on the largest parliamentary bloc on Saturday to nominate its candidate for prime minister within 15 days, stressing that the constitution obligates the president and the largest bloc to complete this process within the specified timeframe.
Speaking after the presidential election, al-Halbousi said, "The country is going through a difficult and exceptional period, and we must all bear the legal and legitimate responsibility to guide the country to safety." He added, "The second step has been completed with the election of the president."
He further stated that "the president and the parliamentary bloc that was presented in the first session, and which is the largest bloc, are obligated, according to Article 76 of the constitution, to present their candidate within a maximum period of 15 days." He noted that "parliament will monitor the completion of this period in accordance with the constitution and the law."
He explained that "the country is experiencing a difficult economic situation, and a caretaker government is not permitted, according to the constitution, to proceed with any financial, economic, or reform measures." He emphasized the necessity of "expediting the formation of the government because people's livelihoods depend on it."
For his part, outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani congratulated Nizar Mohammed Saeed Amidi on his election as President of the Republic, affirming that "this step strengthens the democratic process and completes the constitutional path."
Al-Sudani added that "the next phase requires fulfilling the crucial requirement of forming a strong coalition government within the framework of national and constitutional principles," noting the importance of "continuing the development process, strengthening foreign relations, and confronting security and economic challenges." He
expressed his gratitude to the Speaker of Parliament, its members, and the political forces that contributed to achieving this milestone, and commended the role of the Supreme Judicial Council in supporting the fulfillment of the constitutional deadlines.
The Iraqi Parliament elected Nizar Amidi, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's candidate, as the new President of the Republic on Saturday evening, April 11.
After the new Iraqi President took the oath, Parliament adjourned the session.
The Prime Minister congratulates Nizar Amidi on his election as President of the Republic.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani congratulated Nizar Amidi on Saturday on his election as President of the Republic.
In a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the Prime Minister said: “We extend our sincere congratulations to Nizar Mohammed Saeed Amidi on his election as President of the Republic by the Council of Representatives. This important step strengthens the ongoing democratic process in our beloved country and completes the constitutional path, as well as embodying the great respect for the will of our people, which they expressed through their distinguished participation in the recent parliamentary elections.”
He added, "With the completion of this national milestone, we now await the crucial step of forming a strong coalition government, grounded in national and constitutional principles. This government will build upon our work in development and urban renewal, solidify Iraq's international standing, and strengthen its foreign relations. It will also address internal challenges, including extending state authority, consolidating the capabilities of our armed forces in all their branches to enforce the law and maintain a monopoly on the use of force, ensuring that security is not jeopardized, and safeguarding Iraq's sovereignty and supreme interests, in addition to addressing economic challenges."
He continued, "On this occasion, we express our profound gratitude to the Speaker of Parliament, the members of Parliament, and all national political forces who contributed to achieving this important accomplishment." He also expressed "our appreciation for the role of the Supreme Judicial Council and its commitment to supporting the fulfillment of constitutional obligations, as well as its emphasis on the importance of respecting the timelines stipulated by the Constitution."
just in random order
Guterres urges Washington and Tehran to reach a permanent and comprehensive agreement
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the United States and Iran to make “genuine efforts” to reach a lasting solution to their ongoing conflicts, ahead of the anticipated start of negotiations between the two sides in Pakistan.
“Both sides should seize the Pakistan talks as an opportunity to engage in good faith, with the aim of reaching a lasting and comprehensive agreement that will de-escalate tensions and prevent a return to hostilities,” said Stephane Dujarric, the Secretary-General’s spokesperson, on Friday.
The negotiations are scheduled to begin today, Saturday, in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. According to available information, the US delegation will be headed by Vice President Jay D. Vance, while the Iranian delegation will be led by the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament), Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
In a related context, the high-level Iranian delegation, headed by Qalibaf, arrived in Islamabad. The delegation includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and a number of senior officials in Tehran, which reflects the great importance that Iran attaches to this meeting and the ongoing negotiations.
In an exclusive statement to Kurdistan24, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry expressed optimism regarding the Washington-Tehran negotiations in Islamabad.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday, April 11, 2026, the start of a round of direct negotiations described as "different" between two high-level delegations from the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran in the capital, Islamabad, amid an atmosphere of cautious optimism and tight security measures.
In an exclusive statement to Kurdistan 24, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andarabi said: "This round of negotiations has a special and different character. Although we cannot predict definitively that a final agreement will be reached, we are optimistic that the meeting will produce positive results."
Andarabi confirmed that Islamabad is ready to host additional rounds if necessary, noting that Pakistani authorities will issue an official statement to the public and media as soon as the direct talks between the two delegations conclude.
These negotiations come after 40 days of military escalation and mutual threats, followed by a ceasefire, to begin a new phase of direct diplomacy.
The Iranian delegation – which includes 70 people, among them 26 negotiators and 23 media personnel – is headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, with the participation of Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian, and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati.
On the American side, it is led by Vice President JD Vance, with prominent participation from Steve Wittkopf, President Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, former White House advisor.
Shortly before the meetings began, US President Donald Trump made sharp remarks, asserting that the Iranians "have no leverage other than imposing short-term taxes on international waterways." Trump added, in a warning tone, that "the only reason Iranian officials are alive today is because they agreed to sit down at the negotiating table."
The Serena Hotel in Islamabad has become the focus of the world's attention, as the Pakistani government has allocated the entire hotel to the two delegations and evacuated all guests to ensure the privacy and security of the talks.
The hotel, which has more than 330 rooms and suites, is under tight security, with Pakistani security forces imposing a 3-kilometer security cordon around the site, and completely closing the roads leading to it to ensure the safety of the high-level delegations.
Reuters: Mojtaba Khamenei is running Iran's affairs via audio conferences due to his serious illness.
Three sources close to decision-making circles in Iran told Reuters that the new Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still in the recovery phase after suffering serious injuries in the airstrike that killed his father.
Sources indicated that the attack, which targeted the command compound in central Tehran, resulted in disfigurement of Mojtaba Khamenei’s face and a severe injury to one or both of his legs.
Nevertheless, sources confirm that he is in full possession of his mental faculties and awareness, and actively participates in important meetings.
The report stated that the new leader oversees meetings via "audio conference," where he makes crucial decisions regarding the war and ongoing negotiations with Washington, which began in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, at a time when Iran is going through a deep crisis.
Since taking office as his father’s successor on March 8, no photos or videos of him have been released, a silence that has raised widespread suspicions among the Iranian public, while state media refer to the incident of his injury.
Analysts, including Alex Vatanka, believe that Mojtaba Khamenei will not be able to exercise absolute power as his father did, as the Revolutionary Guard has emerged as a dominant voice in strategic decisions, and Mojtaba is now seen as one of the influential voices and not the sole decision-maker.
Sources say that new photos of him are expected to be released within the next month or two, but his direct public appearance depends on the improvement of his health and the stabilization of the security situation.
So far, there has been no official comment from Iran’s mission to the United Nations or the Israeli Prime Minister’s office regarding the information reported by Reuters.
The Iranian delegation meets with the Pakistani Prime Minister ahead of the start of negotiations with Washington.
The Iranian delegation met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Saturday, according to the Islamic Republic's official television, ahead of anticipated talks between Tehran and Washington aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
Iranian television reported that "the details of the US-Iranian negotiations will be determined at the conclusion of this meeting."
The Iranian delegation had earlier met with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, after arriving in Islamabad at night.
The Iranian Fars News Agency pointed to Pakistan's previous role as a mediator, explaining that following the meeting with "Munir, the army chief of staff and an influential figure in the country, messages were exchanged again between Iran and the United States."
Munir also received US Vice President Jay D. Vance, who leads the US negotiating team, upon his arrival on Saturday.
Pakistani Prime Minister meets Vance as part of talks on Iran
The office of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that he met with US Vice President Jay D. Vance in Islamabad on Saturday, indicating that peace talks aimed at ending the war in the Middle East "have begun."
The statement read, "As the Islamabad talks began today, Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif held a meeting with US Vice President Jay D. Vance."
The statement added that "the Prime Minister stressed Pakistan's desire to continue working to facilitate progress by both sides towards achieving lasting peace in the region."
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The Iraqi parliament holds a session to elect the president amid a political boycott.
The media department of the Iraqi parliament announced today, Saturday, April 11, 2026, the start of the special session to elect a new president of the republic, with the attendance of 223 members of parliament.
While the Presidency has begun implementing constitutional procedures, the political scene continues to be complicated by the lack of consensus among the major powers.
According to a Kurdistan 24 correspondent inside the parliament building, delegations from the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union held a crucial meeting at the home of Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein prior to the session, in a final attempt to agree on a joint candidate for the position.
However, confirmed information indicates that the two sides failed to reach an agreement, with expectations continuing for further rounds of negotiations.
In a notable development, the session witnessed an official boycott by the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri al-Maliki, which puts the quorum of the session and its ability to decide the position in the first round under scrutiny.
The election process is conducted based on Article 70 of the Iraqi Constitution, which requires the candidate to obtain a two-thirds majority (220 votes) in the first round.
If this fails, a second round is held in which the two candidates with the most votes compete, with the candidate who wins a simple majority winning. The elected president then tasks the candidate of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming the government within 15 days.
Parliamentary map and balance of power
The weight of the current Iraqi parliament (329 seats) is distributed across a complex political landscape comprising more than 50 entities, with the following at the forefront:
Reconstruction and Development Alliance: 46 seats.
Progress Alliance and its allies: 33 seats.
State of Law and Kurdistan Democratic Party: 29 and 27 seats respectively.
The Sadiqun bloc: 27 seats.
The National Union and its allies: 18 seats.
The remaining seats are distributed among other alliances such as the “Badr Organization” and “State Forces” with 18 seats each, “Azm” with 17 seats, up to the emerging and independent forces, in addition to 9 seats allocated to the quota of components.
Ashwaq Jaf: The session to elect the president of the republic is "illegal" and lacks national consensus.
Ashwaq Jaf, a member of the Iraqi parliament from the Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc, confirmed that the ongoing attempts to hold a parliamentary session dedicated to electing the president of the republic are marred by "serious legal and political violations," stressing the need to respect the Kurdish will in choosing the candidate for the position.
In a statement to Kurdistan 24, Jaf explained that setting the date for today's session was done without the approval of the second deputy speaker of parliament, which is a clear violation of the internal regulations of the House of Representatives, which requires the approval of the entire Presidency Board (the Speaker and his two deputies) to approve holding sessions, describing this procedure as "illegal" that puts the outcomes of the session in legal doubt.
Regarding the issue of the presidency, the MP stressed that this position represents an exclusive entitlement for the Kurdish people.
She said: The presidential candidate must be decided by a purely Kurdish will and from within the Kurdish house. We reject the interference of non-Kurdish parties in imposing their choices and determining who represents the Kurds in this position.
Jaf called for giving the Kurdish forces sufficient opportunity to reach a compromise candidate, similar to the other components that have the right to nominate their candidates for sovereign positions.
In a related context, Jaf indicated that the nomination of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for the premiership faces serious obstacles, including objections within the Shia political establishment and reservations from international parties.
She warned that rushing through the presidential elections without achieving national consensus would inevitably deepen the political crisis and worsen the economic situation in the country.
The member of the Democratic Party bloc concluded her statement by affirming her party and its allies’ commitment to the constitutional path, stressing that if the election of the president proceeds without the principle of consensus, the Democratic Party will resort to the judiciary and constitutional means to challenge the legitimacy of the entire electoral process.
Al-Dulaimi told Kurdistan 24: The quorum for the parliamentary session was not met, with only 185 members present.
Ikhlas al-Dulaimi, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc in the Iraqi parliament, confirmed that the number of attendees at today's parliamentary session, as announced by the parliament's media office, is incorrect and that the legal quorum was not met.
Al-Dulaimi told Kurdistan24: “It was rumored that 223 MPs attended the Iraqi parliament session today, but I was present in the hall, and I counted them using my mobile phone and documented it on video; their number was only 185 people, not 223.”
The MP believes that starting the parliamentary session to elect the president of the republic in the absence of a legal quorum is an "unconstitutional" procedure, stressing: "We will file a complaint with the Federal Court if this situation continues."
This comes at a time when the media department of the Iraqi parliament announced today, Saturday, April 11, 2026, the start of the special session to elect a new president of the republic, with the attendance of 223 deputies.
While the Presidency has begun implementing constitutional procedures, the political scene continues to be complicated by the lack of consensus among the major powers.
According to a Kurdistan 24 correspondent inside the parliament building, the delegations of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union held a crucial meeting at the home of Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein prior to the session, in a final attempt to agree on a joint candidate for the position.
However, confirmed information indicates that the two sides failed to reach an agreement, with expectations continuing for further rounds of negotiations.
but meanwhile...
The second round of presidential elections has begun.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives announced today the results of the first round of voting for the election of the President of the Republic, confirming that none of the candidates obtained the required majority (two-thirds of the votes) to pass from the first stage.
According to the official results announced, the votes were distributed as follows:
Nizar Amidi: 208 votes.
Muthanna Amin: 17 votes.
Fuad Hussein: 16 votes.
Abdullah Al-Ulayawi: 2 votes.
Invalid votes: 9.
Following the announcement of the results, the Speaker of Parliament approved the commencement of the second round of voting, in which the candidates who received the highest number of votes will compete to determine the next prime minister in accordance with the applicable constitutional and legal frameworks.
(clearly the number of votes is more than the "rumored" amount)
A US official denies that Washington has agreed to release frozen Iranian assets.
A senior US official on Saturday denied a report that Washington had agreed to release frozen Iranian assets in Qatar and other foreign banks.
Iranian and American delegations arrived in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, for talks aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
Tehran has previously stated that any agreement to permanently end the war must include the release of Iranian assets under sanctions and a halt to the Israeli war on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
An unnamed "senior Iranian source" told Reuters that the United States had agreed to release these assets, and that the move was directly linked to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
But a US official responded in a statement issued by the White House, "This is not true. The meetings have not yet begun," according to AFP.
The office of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reported that he met with US Vice President Jay D. Vance in Islamabad on Saturday, adding that peace talks to end the war in the Middle East had "begun".
Iran links the release of its assets to guarantees for the security of the Strait of Hormuz and a permanent agreement.
Reuters quoted a senior Iranian source as saying that Tehran sees the release of its assets as a test of good faith and proof of seriousness about reaching a permanent agreement.
Reuters added, citing the same source, that the release of the assets is directly linked to a guarantee of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz before any permanent peace agreement.
The voting process for the presidential election has concluded.
link
The House of Representatives announced today, Saturday (April 11, 2026), the end of the voting process to elect the President of the Republic.
The media department of the council confirmed in a statement received by "Baghdad Today" that "the voting process for electing the president of the republic has ended."
She noted the start of the counting and sorting process for the votes cast in the presidential election.
Earlier today, Speaker of Parliament Hebat al-Halbousi announced that Abdul Latif Rashid had withdrawn from the presidential race.
The media department explained that "after Abdul Latif Muhammad Jamal withdrew from the list, the number of candidates for the presidency of the republic becomes (16) candidates."
buuuuuuut...
The second round of presidential elections has begun.
The Speaker of Parliament announced today the results of the first round of voting for the election of the President of the Republic, confirming that none of the candidates obtained the required majority (two-thirds of the votes) to pass from the first stage.
According to the official results announced, the votes were distributed as follows:
Nizar Amidi: 208 votes.
Muthanna Amin: 17 votes.
Fuad Hussein: 16 votes.
Abdullah Al-Ulayawi: 2 votes.
Invalid votes: 9.
Following the announcement of the results, the Speaker of Parliament approved the commencement of the second round of voting, in which the candidates who received the highest number of votes will compete to determine the next prime minister in accordance with the applicable constitutional and legal frameworks.
"Giant" tankers carrying Saudi and Iraqi oil leave the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz
Three supertankers carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia and Iraq were seen leaving the Arabian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday morning, indicating a "significant" increase in the amount of oil heading to the global market from the Middle East, according to Bloomberg.
This comes as US President Donald Trump said on Friday that a breakthrough in the energy sector is "imminent" with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the movement of energy supply chains to all parts of the world, following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, paving the way for a lasting peace after a military conflict that lasted for about 40 days in the Middle East region.
Shipping data on Friday indicated that only about 12 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the first two days following the announcement of the "truce" between Washington and Tehran.
Trump: We have now begun the process of opening and clearing the Strait of Hormuz
: US President Donald Trump clarified today, Saturday (April 11, 2026), the start of an operation related to the Strait of Hormuz, while media reports indicated that US ships crossed the strait without coordination with Tehran.
Trump said in a press statement followed by “Baghdad Today”: “We have now begun the process of opening and clearing the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that “Iran’s navy and air force have disappeared and its anti-aircraft systems are now ineffective.”
In the same context, Axios quoted a US official as saying that US Navy ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz today, indicating that this crossing is the first since the start of the war, and it was done without coordination with the Iranian side.
US Navy ships transit the Strait of Hormuz
Axios news website quoted a US official as saying that US Navy ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
The official added, "This is the first time US ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war, and it was done without coordination with Tehran."
UPDATED 7:25 am cali time
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: US destroyer returned from the Strait of Hormuz after a firm warning from Iran
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei announced that a US destroyer returned from the Strait of Hormuz after a firm warning from Iran.
The Fars News Agency reported: "The US destroyer stopped moving due to the firm response of Iranian forces and warnings from the Iranian delegation in Pakistan."
It added: "Iran informed the Pakistani mediator that if the US destroyer continued its movement, it would be targeted within 30 minutes."
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced, "We have begun the process of opening and clearing the Strait of Hormuz."
Talks between Iran and the United States resume in Islamabad after a short break.
Negotiations between the Iranian and American delegations continued in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, as the talks entered the night. Despite the progress made in the sessions, the negotiations took a temporary break, but consultations at the level of specialized committees and experts continued. Technical work continued to organize the issues under discussion before the delegations returned to the formal negotiating table.
Contentious issues: frozen assets and a ceasefire
The current talks revolve around two main issues at the top of the agenda. The first is the issue of frozen Iranian assets, where reports indicate that the American side has agreed to the conditions set by Tehran regarding the release of a portion of its funds held in several countries. The second issue concerns a ceasefire, which is the subject of detailed, serious, and concrete discussions that are ongoing to reach clear understandings.
Anticipation of the results and the pressures on the field
Despite the return to negotiations after the short break, observers believe that it is not yet possible to draw final conclusions or provide a clear vision about the fate of these talks, as no definitive signs have emerged indicating their success or imminent failure.
In this context, sources within the Iranian delegation emphasize that the fundamental criterion for any progress is "securing the interests of the Iranian people," stressing that Tehran does not feel obligated to reach an agreement that fails to guarantee these interests. Furthermore, a message emerging from behind the scenes of the negotiations indicates that the continuation of the dialogue is contingent upon its ability to solidify the Islamic Republic's gains on the ground. This message underscores that Iran, having withstood previous confrontations on the ground, is prepared to pursue its course independently of the negotiating table should the policies of intimidation persist or should the negotiations fail to meet its national aspirations.
Al-Khazali: America is preventing the arming of the Iraqi army and controlling the economy to blackmail the state.
The head of the Victorious parliamentary bloc, Faleh al-Khazali, called on Saturday for the immediate implementation of the parliamentary resolution mandating the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country, asserting that their presence constitutes an obstacle to national sovereignty. In a statement to the
Information Agency, al-Khazali said, "The United States is pursuing a clear policy of preventing the arming of the Iraqi army and the development of its defense capabilities," indicating that "Washington seeks to maintain its control over the military establishment."
He added that "the American side directly controls key sectors of the Iraqi economy with the aim of extorting the country and advancing its political agendas," explaining that "continuing this approach harms supreme national interests and hinders the stability of the local market."
Al-Khazali stressed that "the next phase requires a firm governmental stance to end the foreign presence and liberate economic and military decision-making from external interference aimed at weakening the state."
To enhance security, Pakistani fighter jets land in Saudi Arabia
(probably as a result of the talks imo)
The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday the arrival of a Pakistani military force, including fighter and support aircraft, at King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector, in implementation of the joint strategic defense agreement signed between the two countries.
The ministry stated in a statement followed by Kalima News that the deployment of these forces aims to enhance military coordination, raise the level of operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries, and support security and stability at the regional and international levels.
Reuters quoted informed sources and a Pakistani government official as saying that the deployment of the aircraft came in the wake of Iranian attacks targeting energy infrastructure in the kingdom, most notably the Jubail petrochemical complex last Monday, which resulted in the death of a Saudi citizen.
The Pakistani official explained that his country's forces were not deployed to attack anyone, while sources confirmed that the attack raised Islamabad's fears of a possible Saudi response that could threaten peace talks with Tehran, noting that the Pakistani move aims to reassure Riyadh of its assistance in defending it against any further attacks.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement in September 2025, pledging to treat any aggression against one of them as an attack on both countries, to reinforce a decades-long security partnership that includes Pakistani military support and Saudi financial support.
A surprising condition in the coordination framework excludes Maliki and Sudani from the premiership.
The Coordination Framework is holding intensive meetings to finalize the nomination of a candidate for the new Iraqi prime minister. According to information provided by a leader within the coalition, the withdrawal of Nouri al-Maliki and Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is a prerequisite for agreeing on a new candidate, with Basim al-Badri considered the frontrunner for the position.
On Saturday, April 11, 2026, Abdul Rahman al-Jazaeri, a leader in the Coordination Framework, told Kurdistan 24 that the framework has been meeting since 2:00 PM to discuss the candidate for the position of Prime Minister of Iraq, and another meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM to finalize this matter.
Al-Jazairi indicated that the key to a decisive outcome lies in the withdrawal of both Nouri al-Maliki and Mohammed Shia al-Sudani from the race. He added, "Haider al-Abadi, Hamid al-Shatri, and Basim al-Badri are all candidates for the position, but Basim al-Badri has the strongest chance of winning."
In the same context, Yasser Talal, a member of the media team of Nouri al-Maliki’s office, wrote on his personal Facebook account: “On my responsibility, al-Sudani’s dream of a second term is over, and Nouri al-Maliki is still a candidate for the position of Prime Minister until now.”
Talal added: "Iraq will have a new prime minister, and the coordinating framework has agreed to move forward with the constitutional requirements."
It is worth noting that the Iraqi parliament has elected a new president for the republic, and according to constitutional procedures, the president has 15 days to assign a person to form the new government cabinet.
Radical infrastructure reform
(it seems this starts in the middle of a conversation)
What seems important about this stage is that the state has insisted on combating corruption, and this reality has adopted two important points. The first is a clear measure of the well-being of the Iraqi people by strengthening the social and economic structure through increasing national income. Also, radical reform procedures in the infrastructure structure are carried out by reviewing and formulating laws in a way that is consistent with the state’s ambition in light of the economic development of the people, which necessarily leads to reducing unemployment and poverty. As far as this is related, it is necessary to strive to complete investment projects such as industry and agriculture.
Moreover, paying attention to the citizen’s trust and sense of national responsibility, and spreading the spirit of positive contribution to good work for building and within the effective social and economic reform programs of the state, undoubtedly leads to deepening the love of performance and diligent giving for the sake of sustainable productive contribution. All of this is through this positive interaction that Iraq is going through today economically and in terms of security.
Investment development will not reach the required level unless cooperation is strengthened through that positive contribution to work. Therefore, the importance of implementing investment to achieve development goals is the basic pillar for achieving self-sufficiency and securing the confrontation of unregulated import campaigns in the local market and through the official commercial bodies that continue in order to protect the national product.
To prevent flooding of the local market, the import of poultry, table eggs, and live, frozen, and chilled fish was banned, and national projects were supported in providing various goods to local markets in order to stimulate the productive sectors and provide opportunities.
Activating the investment policy in various state institutions requires mobilizing national efforts and exploiting available opportunities by continuing to support national investment by attracting modern technology through the stages of economic digital transformation to keep pace with Iraq’s future prospects towards progress and development by exploiting the opportunities available in the positive atmosphere that Iraq is going through.
It is worth noting that the interaction between policy and investment forms a crucial link for guiding economies toward sustainable growth. Policymakers wield considerable power in shaping the investment landscape through regulations, incentives, and strategic planning. Their decisions can either stimulate or stifle investment flows into sectors critical to long-term economic resilience and environmental sustainability. Conversely, by directing capital toward innovative and sustainable projects, investors can influence policy by demonstrating the viability and profitability of responsible investment strategies.
