ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Saturday congratulated Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi in a letter, expressing his desire to strengthen Riyadh-Baghdad ties with the Iraqi government formation underway.

“On the occasion of your appointment as Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, we are pleased to extend to Your Excellency our warmest congratulations and best wishes for success and prosperity,” MBS said in a letter to Zaidi..

“We look forward to working with Your Excellency to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between our two countries and peoples, and to enhance them in all fields,” he added.

Zaidi was named in late April as the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework’s candidate to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, after months of discord between the bloc’s leaders, and a veto on former premier Nouri al-Maliki by the US after he was nominated for the top post.

The Iraqi parliament on Saturday announced that preparations are underway for holding an upcoming vote of confidence in Zaidi, as he prepares for the formation of his cabinet.

The Sunni Azm Alliance, led by Muthanna al-Samarrai, on Saturday announced in a statement that it had come to an understanding with the prime minister-designate regarding the alliance’s participation in Iraq’s new cabinet.

The alliance said in a statement that “it has submitted the names of its candidates to the prime minister-designate.”

Holding a master’s degree in Finance and Banking, Zaidi is widely seen as a compromise figure and is relatively unknown in the Iraqi political sphere.

Zaidi is bound by the Iraqi constitution to present his cabinet within 30 days of his appointment as prime minister-designate on April 27.