On the evening of Thursday, May 14, 2026, during a telephone call, President Masoud Barzani congratulated Ali Faleh al-Zaidi on receiving the confidence of the Iraqi Council of Representatives and becoming the Prime Minister of Iraq, wishing him success in his duties.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack congratulated Iraqi Prime Minister al-Zaidi on securing parliamentary confidence and the approval of his government by the Council of Representatives. 

“We are encouraged by your fresh leadership and look forward to collaborating on a bold new agenda aligned with our shared interests: building a sovereign, prosperous, stable Iraq, at peace with its neighbors, that delivers opportunity and growth for all its citizens in mutually beneficial partnership with the United States,” he posted on X.

“President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and the United States stand ready to work closely with you and your government to advance our shared goals of prosperity for the Iraqi people and the elimination of terrorism, which is always an impediment to the people’s progress.”

On May 2, Kurdistan Democratic Party President Masoud Barzani received Iraqi Prime Minister-designate al-Zaidi in Pirmam.

During the meeting, both sides stressed the need to expedite the formation of the federal government in accordance with electoral entitlements and within the constitutional timeframe.

President Barzani addressed recent developments and underscored the importance of resolving the outstanding issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region Governance in accordance with the constitution.