Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki may be on the verge of a comeback after being nominated by the powerful Coordination Framework to be the next premier, though he still faces a number of hurdles. Maliki has extensive experience dealing with both Iran and the United States and would return to office amid an altered regional landscape. 

What happened: The Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite-led parties, nominated Maliki as their candidate for prime minister following a meeting of the alliance on Saturday, citing his “political and administrative experience and his role in managing the state” in a statement. 

The group said that the meeting occurred at the office of Hadi al-Ameri, the leader of the Iran-backed Badr Organization, which is a key member of the Coordination Framework, and that Maliki received a “majority” of votes. They called on parliament to convene a session to elect a president.

The Coordination Framework includes a number of influential Shiite politicians, many of whom are close to Tehran. Along with Maliki and Ameri, the framework includes current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia leader Qais al-Khazali, among others.