US Signals Approval of Iran-Backed PM-Designate Zaidi in Pragmatic Diplomatic Pivot

The United States publicly welcomed Ali al-Zaidi's nomination as Iraq's prime minister-designate on April 28, 2026, despite his selection by the pro-Tehran Coordination Framework. The pragmatic US endorsement signaled Washington's primary demands for Iraq: curtailing PMF autonomy, eliminating Iranian oil-revenue diversion through Iraqi banking and infrastructure, and maintaining the trajectory toward full US military withdrawal per the 2024 bilateral security agreement. Analysis from think tanks noted the US–Iran war had paradoxically increased Washington's leverage in Baghdad as Iran struggled to project influence while fighting a regional conflict. The Zaidi endorsement represented a rare alignment between the Coordination Framework and the United States.