Trump slams Maliki bid as Iran‑backed bloc holds line, Kurdish front emerges

As Trump warns it would be a “very bad choice” to bring Nouri al‑Maliki back as Iraq’s PM, Maliki says he has “absolutely no intention” of withdrawing, backed by the pro‑Iran Coordination Framework. At the same time, exiled Kurdish‑Iranian groups form the “Coalition of Political Forces in Iran Kurdistan,” turning Iraq into a key arena in the U.S.–Iran struggle.