Iraq Moves to Fill Interior and Defense Ministry Vacancies

The Iraqi government is working to fill nine remaining ministerial vacancies following the parliament's vote of confidence for Prime Minister Ali Felah Zidi's administration on May 14, 2026. Under an agreement with the Coordination Framework, the Prime Minister will select the ministers of Interior and Defense from ten-person candidate lists submitted by supporting groups. Simultaneously, Iraq has agreed to establish a joint committee to investigate allegations from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates regarding the launch of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Iraqi territory. The investigative body will deploy two specialized teams: one to visit regional countries to analyze radar data and another to conduct internal investigations within Iraq.