As social media influencers in Iraq increasingly launch self-branded commercial products—particularly in the children’s food sector—questions are mounting over the sources of their wealth and the scale of funding behind their promotional ventures.

As the deadline for Iraqi PM-designate Ali al-Zaidi to present his cabinet to parliament nears, Iran has become directly involved in the government formation process, despite previously insisting it was a purely Iraqi matter beyond external interference.

Judge Faiq Zaidan, a figure close to Iran, has recently emerged in the open amid infighting within the Shiite camp, particularly over objections to Nouri al-Maliki’s bid to return as prime minister.

With the approval of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, for the nomination of Nouri al-Maliki, a senior figure in Iraq’s SCF, to assume the post of prime minister for a third term, questions have intensified over how the United States might respond to this.

Iraq’s Shiite political forces have signed an agreement to form the largest parliamentary bloc after the Reconstruction and Development Coalition led by Mohammed Shia’ al Sudani joined the Coordination Framework.