The Iraqi parliament elected Kurdish politician Nizar Amedi as the country’s new president, following a parliamentary election last November. Amedi, 58, is a former environment minister and has been leading the political office of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Baghdad since 2024. The choice of a new prime minister in Iraq is now awaited, with US President Donald Trump warning to withdraw support if former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is selected. Maliki, backed by Iran, has been nominated by a majority alliance of Shi’ite political blocs in the parliament, causing concern for Washington. The US and Iran are engaged in high-level talks in Islamabad to end the recent conflict, while in Iraq, the prime minister holds significant power in balancing relationships with the US and Iran, the country’s closest allies.
