Three loud blasts were heard in the Iraqi capital, according to an AFP reporter on the ground. A security source said the artillery fire was ceremonial and intended to mark the establishment of the new administration.

The celebratory firing came days after Iraq finalized the formation of a new government following extended political negotiations among rival factions.

Earlier on Friday, Antonio Guterres welcomed the creation of the new Iraqi government and reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting the country’s economic and social development efforts.

The formation of the cabinet under Al-Zaidi is viewed as a key step in efforts to stabilize Iraq’s political landscape amid continuing economic challenges, regional tensions and security concerns.

In a statement issued by Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, Guterres said he looked forward to working with the new Iraqi administration to advance the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

The statement said the UN chief remained committed to supporting Iraq in its efforts toward development, governance and long-term stability.

The announcement follows the formation of a new Iraqi government after months of political negotiations and comes at a time when Baghdad faces economic challenges, reconstruction demands and regional security pressures.

The United Nations has maintained a long-standing political and humanitarian presence in Iraq, assisting with institutional development, humanitarian coordination and post-conflict recovery initiatives.

Zaidi was formally tasked on Monday with forming a cabinet within 30 days, after Iraq’s dominant parliamentary bloc abandoned former prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki following reported U.S. opposition to his return.Five months after parliamentary elections, Iraq remains without a new administration as rival factions continue to compete over leadership positions and ministerial control in a system shaped by sectarian and political power-sharing.

The Coordination Framework, the largest bloc in parliament and an alliance of Shiite factions with varying ties to Iran, had initially backed Maliki, a two-time former premier known for his close relations with Tehran.His candidacy, however, collapsed after what officials described as strong pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly issued an ultimatum opposing Maliki’s return to office.

The bloc has since shifted support to Zaidi and publicly thanked Maliki for stepping aside.Iraq’s state-run INA news agency reported that the Coordination Framework would meet Zaidi on Tuesday to begin talks over cabinet formation and the allocation of ministerial portfolios.Zaidi said he intended to work “with all political forces,” according to INA.

At 40, Zaidi is viewed as a compromise candidate with limited political baggage. He is a businessman, owner of a television channel and a former head of an Iraqi bank that had been barred from conducting U.S. dollar transactions under American anti-money laundering restrictions.He has never previously held a government post.

If he succeeds in forming a government, Zaidi will replace Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, whose hopes of securing a second term weakened after he failed to prevent Iran-backed armed groups from targeting U.S. interests during the recent Middle East war.

A political source told AFP that the Coordination Framework endorsed Zaidi only after consulting U.S. representatives to gauge Washington’s acceptance.Victoria J. Taylor, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council and a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Iraq, said the bloc was unlikely to have advanced Zaidi’s nomination without some confidence that the United States would not object.

“The framework would not have nominated him without some sense that the U.S. would accept his nomination,” she wrote on X.She added that Trump’s public rejection of Maliki had been politically damaging and the alliance was keen to avoid another confrontation with Washington.

Zaidi’s nomination also came 10 days after a senior Iranian commander visited Iraq and held meetings with political leaders, underlining Baghdad’s continued balancing act between Tehran and Washington more than two decades after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.