Iraqi parliament appoints US-sanctioned al-Khazali as deputy prime minister — Asharq Al-Awsat

On October 15, Iraq’s parliament approved candidates for vacant government positions, completing the formation of the cabinet. One of the three new deputy prime ministers was Laith al-Khazali, who is under US sanctions, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.

US sanctions against al-Khazali

Laith al-Khazali is the brother of Qais al-Khazali, the leader of the Iranian-backed armed group Asaib Ahl al-Haq. US forces detained him in 2007 over suspicions related to an attack on US military personnel in Karbala in January of that year. Five US service members were killed in the attack. Al-Khazali was released from US custody in June 2009.

In 2019, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on him, citing his leadership role in Asaib Ahl al-Haq, allegations of human rights violations, and the 2007 attack. There had been no official US statement on the new appointment at the time of publication.

Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, in a post on X, called al-Khazali a sanctioned terrorist and an “Iranian puppet.” He also said that Asaib Ahl al-Haq militants had killed Americans and Iraqis and criticized the appointment. These are assessments by the US lawmaker.

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Filling vacancies in the government

In addition to the three deputy prime ministers, parliament appointed ministers of interior, defense, planning, higher education and scientific research, as well as culture. The remaining cabinet positions had been filled five months earlier.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said that after the vacancies were filled, the government was moving to a stage of accelerated and persistent work. He promised to continue implementing the government program and noted that the country had worked in recent months amid a difficult domestic and international situation, including economic and security challenges caused by the war in the region.

Al-Zaidi also promised to fight corruption, strengthen Iraq’s sovereignty, complete the withdrawal of US forces from the country, and disarm non-state armed groups. Some powerful groups refuse to lay down their weapons, although Asaib Ahl al-Haq is among several formations that agreed to hand over their arms.