PM sought to ease U.S. objections to Laith al-Khazali as deputy, Sadiqoun says

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi tried during his visit to New York to soften U.S. objections to Laith al-Khazali, Asaib Ahl al-Haq’s candidate for deputy prime minister and a U.S.-designated terrorist, an official from the group’s political wing said, as parliament prepares to vote on the rest of the cabinet.

“Al-Zaidi made considerable efforts to reduce American objections concerning Laith al-Khazali,” Hussein al-Shihani, a member of the Sadiqoun Movement’s political bureau, told Al-Iraqiya TV. Objections to Khazali had previously been cited as an obstacle to completing the cabinet, he said.

The United States designated Asaib Ahl al-Haq a Foreign Terrorist Organization in January 2020, and its leader Qais al-Khazali and his brother Laith as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

Zaidi needs four deputy prime ministers, Shihani said, and a political agreement had been reached that they would receive no additional privileges. “Al-Zaidi himself does not claim to be skilled in politics, services or managing ministries, but he has capabilities in financial and economic management, and everyone knows that,” he said, likening the arrangement to a school principal with assistants. “Al-Zaidi feels, and the political spectrum feels, that he needs deputies.” Khazali holds a doctorate from the University of Baghdad and a master’s degree in military sciences, and has held senior roles in Asaib, helping build its political organization, Shihani said.

Zaidi has accepted Sadiqoun’s nominee for minister of labor and social affairs, Mohammed Raad al-Mousawi, one of four candidates it put forward, Shihani said. A session to vote on the remaining ministers, first discussed for Thursday, had been pushed to Monday, possibly Tuesday. “The matter has not yet been settled. We hope the session will be held on Monday,” he said.

Parliament confirmed 14 ministers when it approved Zaidi’s government on May 14, leaving nine of 23 ministries, including interior and defense, without a confirmed minister. Zaidi told Coordination Framework leaders on Aug. 31 that nominees for the remaining posts would go to parliament the following week.