As Iraqi prime minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi pushes ahead with efforts to form a new government, the U.S. is simultaneously imposing sanctions on Iraqi figures and leaders of armed factions, while issuing repeated warnings against including such groups in the upcoming cabinet.

Gulf anger toward Iraq is rising fast over attacks launched from its territory since the U.S. began its war on Iran, with tensions escalating further after Kuwait was struck on April 24, reviving urgent questions about Iraq’s relations with its Arab neighbors after years of cautious improvement.

For the first time in decades, Iraq has turned to overland fuel exports through Syria, a move that underscores the scale of disruption hitting its traditional shipping routes as war on Iran intensifies, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz.

In a fresh twist around Iraq’s prime ministership, remarks by Donald Trump have set off a wave of debate inside Iraq’s political class, with questions swirling over how to read his words and what they might signal.

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.