Members of Iraq's Ministerial Council for National Security attend an emergency session chaired by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Baghdad on July 29, 2026, to discuss the latest security developments following American-Saudi strikes against pro-Iranian militias on Iraqi territory. (Credit: Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister/Reuters)
Seated at an official table alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to announce the signing of major energy deals, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi turned to his transport minister and asked: “Why haven’t you signed?” He was referring to an agreement related to the Iraq Development Road. “I sent you a WhatsApp message,” Wahb al-Hasni seemingly replied. Hasni is affiliated with the Badr Organization, Iran’s oldest armed ally in Iraq. After a few moments of confusion, and faced with his host’s apparent bewilderment, Zaidi put an end to the matter. “He will sign,” he said. The awkward incident, which took place during the prime minister’s official visit to Turkey on July 28, highlights the internal resistance facing the leader’s efforts to shift Iraq’s delicate balance toward the United States rather than Iran, amid the ongoing...
Seated at an official table alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to announce the signing of major energy deals, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi turned to his transport minister and asked: “Why haven’t you signed?” He was referring to an agreement related to the Iraq Development Road. “I sent you a WhatsApp message,” Wahb al-Hasni seemingly replied. Hasni is affiliated with the Badr Organization, Iran’s oldest armed ally in Iraq. After a few moments of confusion, and faced with his host’s apparent bewilderment, Zaidi put an end to the matter. “He will sign,” he said. The awkward incident, which took place during the prime minister’s official visit to Turkey on July 28, highlights the internal resistance facing the leader’s efforts to shift Iraq’s delicate balance toward the United States rather than...
