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Al-Zaidi heads to Washington
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Washington for an official visit as his government seeks to open a new chapter in relations with the United States centered on investment and economic cooperation.
Al-Zaidi, on his first trip abroad since taking office in May, led a delegation that includes senior government and parliamentary officials, including the foreign and oil ministers and the head of Iraq’s National Intelligence Service.
In a statement posted on his official account, al-Zaidi said the visit aims to “attract investment, transfer expertise, diversify the economy, and create jobs,” strengthening Iraq’s position as “a reliable partner and an active contributor to regional stability and prosperity.”
The visit is also framed by security pressure from Washington over whether Baghdad can curb Iran-backed armed factions and consolidate the state’s monopoly on the use of force, with U.S. President Donald Trump calling al-Zaidi on April 30 to congratulate him on being designated prime minister and invite him to Washington.
The Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said the talks would mark a shift “from a framework of crisis management to a strategic economic partnership,” with oil a top priority and alternative export hubs sought to lessen the consequences of any future closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Militias reject economic terms
Ahead of the meetings, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella group of Iran-backed militia groups, rejected al-Zaidi’s visit and warned of “economic occupation” as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is flying to the US.
The IRI declared “our principled rejection of this visit,” warning that Iraq was “replacing military occupation with an even more dangerous economic occupation,” and it said its support for the government’s anti-corruption crackdown “does not mean giving it a blank check in all its other policies.”
In parallel, U.S. officials tied the visit’s success to what al-Zaidi’s government can implement after returning to Baghdad, particularly on weapons control, security sector reform and reducing the influence of groups aligned with Tehran.
Rahman al-Jubouri, head of Iraq’s Academy of Good Governance, said the visit comes under more complicated circumstances than those of previous Iraqi prime ministers because of sweeping regional changes and mounting pressure over Iran’s influence inside Iraq.
The State Administration Coalition and the Coordination Framework both expressed support for regulating weapons and separating military affairs from political calculations, while the Islamic Resistance in Iraq reiterated its refusal to disarm before the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
Strait of Hormuz and stakes
The visit’s economic agenda is closely linked to the Strait of Hormuz, which Al Jazeera said Iraq was badly hit by shutting down in recent months due to the US-Israel war on Iran, with about 90 percent of its 3.4 million barrels per day (bpd) of exports passing through it.
Al-Aboudi said Iraq’s proposal to establish an energy and development fund with the US would be on the table to finance agreed projects, and he described oil as “a top priority” during the visit as the Iraqi government seeks to increase production and find alternative export hubs.
Al Jazeera reported that al-Zaidi had previously said the fund would initially be structured in oil exports of 500,000 bpd with the goal of increasing to as much as two million bpd, while the prime minister also said Iraq seeks to increase oil production to seven million bpd over the next three years, up from its current output of about 4.5 million bpd.
The Al Jazeera report also said Iraq is seeking to secure an IMF loan of up to $8bn, and that meetings with US administration officials and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been planned.
Yet the same reporting emphasized that the “critical question remains whether Iraq can provide a safe and stable environment that would encourage US companies to come to Iraq,” hinging on the government’s ability to deliver on commitments to restrict weapons to state control.
