Recent drone attacks from Iraq against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, linked to Iran-aligned militias, have sparked Gulf condemnation and renewed concerns over Iraq’s ability to control armed groups amid regional tensions and political debate over Iranian influence.

With the formation of Ali al-Zaidi’s government in Iraq, the name of retired U.S. general David Petraeus has resurfaced with unusual prominence, amid American pressure to exclude Iran-aligned armed factions from the cabinet unveiled on May 13, 2026.

The makeup of Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi’s new government revealed the absence of any figure directly affiliated with armed factions, raising a central question over how far the U.S. succeeded in pushing those groups out of power as part of its conditions for maintaining ties with Baghdad and continuing political support.

Iraqi FM and presidential candidate Fuad Hussein confirmed that Mark Savaya no longer serves as President Donald Trump’s envoy to Iraq, noting that Tom Barrack now oversees the Iraqi portfolio.

As Trump threatens to strike Iran if the authorities move to kill protesters, Tehran has relied on Iraqi militias loyal to it to help suppress demonstrations that erupted across the country on December 28, 2025, sparked by a sharp economic downturn.