Shafaq News-Baghdad
Iraq's PrimeMinister Ali al-Zaidi pledged to prioritize American investment, direct Iraqioil toward the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), and “disarm militias” bySeptember 30, according to pre-broadcast excerpts shared by journalist HadleyGamble.
On energy,al-Zaidi stated that 500,000 barrels per day of Iraqi crude will be allocatedto replenishing the US SPR, the emergency stockpile maintained by the UnitedStates government. He also indicated that Iraq could suspend its membership inOPEC if the group continues to restrict Iraq from producing oil in line withits actual production capabilities.
Regardinggovernance, al-Zaidi committed to "suffocating" corruption through anopen and transparent bidding process for all government contracts.
TheSeptember 30 deadline for “militia disarmament” coincides with the scheduledwithdrawal of US troops from Iraq, a timeline established under a bilateralsecurity agreement between Baghdad and Washington.
: A guide to Ali Al-Zaidi's ministerial program
Al-Zaidi, abusinessman and political newcomer, was sworn in as Prime Minister on May 14,2026, after parliament approved 14 of his 23 proposed ministers, following amonths-long political deadlock resolved when the Coordination Framework, Iraq'slargest Shia parliamentary bloc, nominated him as a consensus candidate.
The fullinterview is scheduled to broadcast on June 25, 2026.
: How the US pushed Iraq's armed factions toward disarmament
