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Sudden ‘Veto’ from Iran Thwarts Govt Formation Efforts in Iraq

From right to left: Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi, Coordination Framework member Hadi al-Amiri, and caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. (Coordination Framework)
From right to left: Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi, Coordination Framework member Hadi al-Amiri, and caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. (Coordination Framework)
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Sudden ‘Veto’ from Iran Thwarts Govt Formation Efforts in Iraq

From right to left: Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi, Coordination Framework member Hadi al-Amiri, and caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. (Coordination Framework)
From right to left: Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi, Coordination Framework member Hadi al-Amiri, and caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. (Coordination Framework)

Two Iraqi officials revealed on Sunday that a sudden “veto” from Iran has thwarted efforts to form a new Iraqi government. Iran has expressed its objection to keeping pro-Tehran armed factions out of the new government.

Tehran has demanded that the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework refrain from voting in favor of a cabinet lineup that “harms the influence of its allies” in the Iraqi state, the officials told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Amid these developments, reports said that Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), made a surprise visit to Baghdad as Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi had reportedly been making progress in the government formation process.

Significant throughout these developments is the United States’ pressure on al-Zaidi to keep the armed factions out of the new government, reflecting mounting tensions with Tehran that are playing out on a larger scale in the region over Hormuz and the war on Iran.

Sources said Qaani had arrived in Baghdad in recent hours with a message that “Tehran objects” to Iraq’s “complete subservience to Washington.”

An official compared to Asharq Al-Awsat the tensions in Iraq over the government to the tensions between Washington and Tehran over Hormuz.

‘Purely American government’

The two officials said Iran wants to prevent Iraq from forming a “purely American government,” amid US pressure on Baghdad to curb the activity of the pro-Iran armed factions.

Al-Zaidi was named PM-designate on April 27, receiving unprecedented American backing from President Donald Trump himself, who described his appointment as a victory for the Washington administration.

A PM-designate has no more than 30 days to present a cabinet lineup to parliament for a vote of confidence. Time is of the essence with several MPs travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, meaning the necessary quorum for the parliament session to be held may not be met.

American officials are expected to arrive in Baghdad within days. Sources said Washington not only wants the armed factions out of the government, but it wants to ensure that they will not seek “alternate arrangements” that would get them in the cabinet. This prompted Iran to resort to its “veto” and throttle the government negotiations.

The disagreements over the government in Iraq largely reflect the negotiations between the US and Iran in the region that have been ongoing for weeks without reaching a final settlement.

One of the Iraqi officials quoted a prominent member of the Framework as describing as “unprecedented” the US involvement in the formation of the government. He warned that the differences could turn into an “open conflict” between Washington and Tehran, concerns that were heightened with Qaani’s arrival in Baghdad ahead of American officials who are expected there soon too.

Should Iran resort to informing the Framework MPs to refrain from voting for al-Zaidi's cabinet, Washington may in turn increase pressure on Baghdad, such as imposing sanctions and cutting off support, to get its way, a senior advisor in an influential Shiite party told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The ongoing dispute between Washington and Tehran may lead to al-Zaidi quitting as PM-designate, he warned.

The Iraqi officials, who are involved in the government formation efforts, revealed that al-Zaidi had received messages from several parties, including the US, over the need to from a cabinet that “does not have Iranian influence.”

Negotiators have said that Washington “is now interfering in the tiniest detail” in the formation process and it has “accurate information about how the factions operate to try to outmaneuver” American conditions.

The conditions are not only limited to the government, but also include restricting the factions’ economic and political connections with Tehran, especially issues related to water resources, oil, and independence of political decision-making, revealed political sources.

Al-Zaidi has tried to keep sovereign portfolios out of the hands of the armed factions and granting them “lesser” ministries. The move has angered Iran, which was hoping that it would retain influence over powerful ministries.

An informed source said noted the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq movement, which boasts 27 MPs in parliament and has been demanding that its political weight be reflected in cabinet. It has been demanding that it be granted the Oil Ministry, putting it at great odds with Washington.

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Arab World

Hamas Inclined Toward ‘Positive’ Response to Mladenov Amendments Despite Internal Objections

Mourners grieve for Palestinian woman Shahd Ashour, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday in Gaza City (AP). 
Mourners grieve for Palestinian woman Shahd Ashour, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday in Gaza City (AP). 
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Hamas Inclined Toward ‘Positive’ Response to Mladenov Amendments Despite Internal Objections

Mourners grieve for Palestinian woman Shahd Ashour, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday in Gaza City (AP). 
Mourners grieve for Palestinian woman Shahd Ashour, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday in Gaza City (AP). 

Expectations are growing that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will respond positively to revised proposals put forward by Nikolay Mladenov, the senior international mediator for Gaza within the Peace Council framework, despite emerging opposition to the latest amendments he has made to a roadmap first presented to the movement in April.

Hamas and participating factions are reviewing the newest version of Mladenov’s proposals, which are intended to advance a fragile Gaza ceasefire announced in October as part of a plan introduced by US President Donald Trump. Palestinian officials accuse Israel of repeatedly violating the agreement, saying more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the truce took effect.

Two Hamas sources and a third source from another Palestinian faction involved in the negotiations criticized the amendments, arguing that they depart from key provisions of the original agreement. Their objections focus on issues including an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, implementation of the first phase of the deal, the rights of employees affiliated with the Gaza administration, reconstruction guarantees across the enclave, and the broader political framework.

The disagreements have complicated indirect talks between Israel and Palestinian factions over advancing to subsequent stages of the ceasefire agreement. Palestinian negotiators insist that Israel must fulfill first-phase commitments, including withdrawing troops from occupied areas and allowing the entry of aid and commercial goods. Israel, meanwhile, continues to press for the disarmament of Palestinian factions as a central element of the next phase.

A Hamas source based outside Gaza noted that some implementation mechanisms in the roadmap remain unclear. The movement and other factions, he said, will seek additional clarification to ensure Israel fulfills its obligations.

A factional source inside Gaza echoed those concerns, arguing that certain revisions and the removal of previously agreed provisions effectively undermine earlier understandings. “There are attempts to impose a new reality that serves Israel’s interests at the expense of Palestinian rights,” he stated.

Despite the criticism, all three sources said Hamas and the factions are generally inclined to engage constructively with the revised proposal. They are expected to submit comments and additional amendments aimed at strengthening implementation of the original agreement signed in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh in October 2025. A formal response is expected within days.

According to Hamas officials, the movement’s leadership seeks to build on recent understandings reached in Cairo in order to secure a permanent end to the war and alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza.

A Hamas source outside the enclave said negotiators are working toward an agreement that would prevent Israel from maintaining long-term security control or creating a security vacuum by limiting weapons while continuing military operations, either directly or through armed groups that Hamas and other factions insist must be dismantled.

Meanwhile, Israeli military operations continued across Gaza. On Monday, Israeli forces killed a paramedic after targeting a vehicle in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Six others were wounded.

Earlier, an Israeli strike in Gaza City’s al-Rimal neighborhood targeted a vehicle with four missiles during the busy morning rush hour. The attack killed an 11th-grade student and wounded at least eight others. A local field source said the intended target escaped after abandoning the vehicle following the first missile strike.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll since the ceasefire began has surpassed 1,026, with more than 3,260 people injured. The ministry says more than 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

 

 

Arab World

New Lebanon-Israel Talks to Begin, in Shadow of US-Iran Deal

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows an Israeli military vehicle driving along a road in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows an Israeli military vehicle driving along a road in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
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New Lebanon-Israel Talks to Begin, in Shadow of US-Iran Deal

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows an Israeli military vehicle driving along a road in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows an Israeli military vehicle driving along a road in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)

Lebanon heads into a new round of talks with Israel on Tuesday in Washington, with Beirut determined to press ahead with direct negotiations even as they appear to be overshadowed by Iran's decision to make Lebanon part of its negotiations with the United States.

Lebanese officials have insisted that face-to-face negotiations with Israel are the only way to secure an end to the war raging since March 2, when armed group Hezbollah fired at Israel in support of Iran and triggered Israeli air and ground attacks that have killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon.

But four rounds of Lebanese-Israeli talks since April failed to produce a durable ceasefire. Instead, the longest lull in fighting came this week after Iran and the US agreed a memorandum of understanding that stipulated fighting would halt across all fronts, including Lebanon.

That deal buoyed Iran-backed ‌Hezbollah and dealt ‌a blow to the Lebanese state, whose leaders including President Joseph Aoun had repeatedly warned ‌that ⁠Tehran cannot negotiate ⁠on Lebanon's behalf.

A Lebanese official and two foreign officials working on Lebanon told Reuters the Iran-US deal had pulled the rug out from the Lebanese state, leaving it in its weakest position yet and throwing into question the utility of its talks with Israel this week.

The Lebanese official was skeptical that any tangible progress would come out of the negotiations, which are set to last for three days.

"There remains a fundamental problem of trust between us and the Israelis in these talks. We cannot fulfill their demands, and they reject all of ours," the official said.

LEBANON TO SEEK ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL TIMELINE

Lebanon has ⁠said that one of its key goals in the talks would be securing an ‌Israeli military withdrawal, but top Israeli officials have said that troops would ‌remain in southern Lebanon indefinitely.

The Lebanese official said that Beirut would demand Israel present a "reasonable" timetable for its withdrawal at the talks.

"This ‌is the only chance we have to generate momentum in these talks, and in this tug-of-war with Iran," ‌the official said.

Israel, meanwhile, sees the purpose of the upcoming talks as "disarming Hezbollah and achieving a genuine peace agreement" with Lebanon, according to a briefing by Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer on the eve of the new negotiations.

Mencer said the only impediment to a deal with Lebanon was Hezbollah, "which is why we believe that they should be disarmed and dismantled."

The Lebanese government has moved ‌carefully since 2025 to disarm Hezbollah without confronting the group directly, fearing it would spark a civil conflict.

Hezbollah has rejected disarming in full and has called on the ⁠government to withdraw from its ⁠direct talks with Israel.

HEZBOLLAH BETS ON IRAN AS NEGOTIATOR

Karim Safieddine, a fellow at the Washington-based Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, told Reuters there was a risk that Israel could assume an even more hardline position in the Washington talks given its officials' anger over the US-Iran deal.

While that deal had brought relative calm to Lebanon, there was "no structural change" in the Lebanese and Israeli positions that indicated progress could be made at the negotiating table, Safieddine said.

Aoun first proposed direct talks in March, but they only began in mid-April, after the US announced a ceasefire to enable a diplomatic process that Washington said would ultimately lead to a peace deal.

Israeli air strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs then largely stopped, but fierce fighting continued in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops pushed deeper into Lebanese villages.

The US announced a new ceasefire initiative in early June again as part of the Lebanese-Israeli talks, but it was contingent on Hezbollah halting fire and was rejected by the group.

Hezbollah expects Iran to demand an Israeli withdrawal as it pursues talks with the US on a final deal, and says the Lebanese government should bet on that track instead of its direct negotiations.

Arab World

Trial Week Opens for Assad-Era Figures, Including Syria’s Former Grand Mufti Hassoun

People gather outside the Palace of Justice, on the day of a trial session of Atef Najib, a brigadier general and former head of the Political Security Department in Daraa during Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad's rule, who is accused of committing war crimes, in Damascus, Syria, April 26, 2026. (Reuters)
People gather outside the Palace of Justice, on the day of a trial session of Atef Najib, a brigadier general and former head of the Political Security Department in Daraa during Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad's rule, who is accused of committing war crimes, in Damascus, Syria, April 26, 2026. (Reuters)
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Trial Week Opens for Assad-Era Figures, Including Syria’s Former Grand Mufti Hassoun

People gather outside the Palace of Justice, on the day of a trial session of Atef Najib, a brigadier general and former head of the Political Security Department in Daraa during Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad's rule, who is accused of committing war crimes, in Damascus, Syria, April 26, 2026. (Reuters)
People gather outside the Palace of Justice, on the day of a trial session of Atef Najib, a brigadier general and former head of the Political Security Department in Daraa during Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad's rule, who is accused of committing war crimes, in Damascus, Syria, April 26, 2026. (Reuters)

A series of new trials involving defendants accused of crimes against Syrians during the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad is set to begin this week, as authorities move to accelerate the country’s transitional justice process amid mounting public pressure for accountability.

According to Radif Mustafa, director of the Accountability Department at the National Commission for Transitional Justice, proceedings opened on Monday with the trial of Abdul Nasser Barraq, a former security informant.

Hearings are scheduled to continue Tuesday with the case of Atef Najib, while Wednesday will see the first session in the trial of Wassim al-Assad. On Thursday, proceedings are due to begin against former Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, widely known among regime opponents as the “Mufti of the Barrel Bombs.”

The trials come after days of demonstrations across several Syrian provinces, where protesters demanded accountability for former regime enforcers and collaborators, commonly referred to as “shabbiha”.

What began as scattered protests has evolved into a sustained daily movement calling for faster implementation of transitional justice measures.

The Syrian government has acknowledged the protesters’ “legitimate demands,” stressing that justice must be achieved through the rule of law rather than public anger.

Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said authorities remain committed to pursuing all individuals implicated in crimes committed under the former regime.

Atef Najib, a brigadier general and former head of the Political Security Department in Daraa during Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad's rule, who is accused of committing war crimes, attends a trial session at the Palace of Justice, in Damascus, Syria, April 26, 2026. (Reuters)

The Interior Ministry recently disclosed that nearly 3,700 former military personnel and regime loyalists have been detained by security forces. The announcement was presented as evidence of the government’s determination to continue pursuing suspects linked to past abuses.

At a press conference last week, al-Baba said the ministry’s Counterterrorism Directorate was holding 5,989 detainees from various ranks associated with the former regime.

Separately, the Ministry of Justice announced the creation of specialized judicial chambers dedicated to transitional justice cases in courthouses across Syria.

The move follows a meeting in Damascus on Sunday between Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais and provincial attorneys general to discuss ways of accelerating legal proceedings against those accused of serious crimes.

Under the new mechanism, complainants will file cases directly with designated public prosecutors. Investigating judges will gather evidence before cases are referred to criminal courts, a process intended to speed up proceedings and respond to public demands for accountability.

Al-Wais said the ministry is preparing a broader package of reforms, including updates to judicial legislation, amendments to existing laws, the establishment of a unified national registry of violations under judicial supervision, and specialized training for investigators handling war-crimes cases in cooperation with international experts.

The ministry also plans to strengthen coordination with the National Commission for Transitional Justice, the National Commission for Missing Persons, and civil society organizations.