President Barham Salih appointed Adnan al-Zarfi as Iraq’s prime minister. A senior U.S. diplomat stated: “we are hoping that pro-Iran parties – that is, Iran and its ally – do not move to scuttle the nomination. They seem prepared to shoot down anyone who is not completely subservient to Iran. This is an inflection point for Iraq, whether [they] will choose sovereignty or whether they will choose to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Iran”. He also indicated that “a government that prioritises Iraq and heeds the legitimate demands made by Iraqis for a sovereign and corrupt-free nation will receive U.S. and international support”.