Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Washington on July 13 for a long-anticipated visit. The new prime minister is seeking to increase ties with the United States.
Iraq is at another crossroads today as the Iraqi leader seeks to rein in Iranian-backed militias while also managing the withdrawal of US forces stationed in Iraq as part of the war against ISIS.
The US had withdrawn from Iraq in 2011 but returned in 2014 to help it fight the terror organization. The US also has an important presence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Iraq already serves as a frontline between the US and Iran. After the US and Israel began strikes on Iran on February 28, the Iranians operationalized militias in Iraq.
Those militias carried out hundreds of attacks on US diplomatic facilities and other sites, and Kataib Hezbollah kidnapped US journalist Shelly Kittleson. She was released after being held for a week.
The same militia also kidnapped researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov in March 2023. She was released only in September 2025.
According to a list of Zaidi’s meetings in Washington, he will remain in the American capital until July 18.
Zaidi meets with US Special Envoy Tom Barrack
On July 14, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office said that “Prime Minister Mr. Ali Falih Al-Zaidi received, yesterday evening, Monday Baghdad time, at his residence in the US capital, Washington, the US president’s special envoy to Iraq, Mr. Tom Barrack.”
Barrack has played a key role as the US envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey. He recently also became envoy to Iraq, uniting his role with Syria. This is important because it means he is the point person for US policy on these two key countries.
Victoria J. Taylor, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council and former deputy assistant secretary for Iraq and Iran at the US State Department, noted on X/Twitter that “Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrives in Washington this week in a true test:
“Can he convince the Trump administration that the partnership with Baghdad is still worth the effort? My new article [speaks] on the tough equation he faces between disarming the militias and pleasing Washington without provoking Tehran.”
Iraq’s PMO said that “during the meeting, prospects for joint cooperation between Iraq and the United States of America were discussed. The meeting also witnessed a review of the course of economic relations between the two countries, the developments it has seen over the recent period, and ways to expand areas of cooperation and partnership.”
The office also said “The meeting addressed developments in the regional situation, the importance of supporting efforts aimed at enhancing security and stability and reducing levels of tension, and the pivotal role that Iraq can play in bringing viewpoints closer together and contributing to de-escalating the situation at the regional level.”
Amberin Zaman, writing at Al-Monitor, noted that “on his first foreign trip, Iraqi PM Zaidi woos Trump, but Iran casts a long shadow.”
She added that “Iraq’s new prime minister is in Washington promising business deals and closer ties with the United States, but convincing the Trump administration he can rein in Iran-backed militias may prove his toughest challenge.”
Zaman’s article noted a few key issues that, according to administration sources speaking on background, will be spotlighted during Zaidi’s visit to the US.
Efforts to restore pipelines through Middle East, Iraq, Syria
“Zaidi, a former entrepreneur, is expected to announce a host of deals, many of them linked to energy, as part of a business-first agenda meant to diversify US-Iraqi ties beyond their primarily security-driven focus,” she said.
There is also an effort to restore a pipeline from Kirkuk in Iraq to Syria.
In addition, she added “Security, however, remains the Trump administration’s top priority with Baghdad, above all the disarming and disbanding of Iran-backed militias.
“The groups, which were formed in 2014 initially to fight the Islamic State, repeatedly attacked US military installations inside Iraq as well as targets across the Gulf during the latest Iran conflict.”
Meanwhile, Iraqi political analyst Ali Al-Mikdam noted on X that “Washington views the trip as an opportunity to redefine the framework of its relationship with Baghdad, with reducing Iranian influence and curbing armed factions at the top of its agenda. Iraq, meanwhile, seeks to establish a stable strategic partnership that safeguards its security and economic interests.”
He added that “the outcome of this visit will not only shape the future of Baghdad-Washington relations but could also redefine Iraq’s regional position in the period ahead. Yet its success will ultimately depend on domestic political will.”
The pro-Iran Islamic Resistance in Iraq slammed the Iraqi premier’s visit to Washington. Meanwhile, Rudaw Media in Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq noted that “Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi commenced his high-profile visit to the United States on Monday, where he is scheduled to meet with senior US officials, including President Donald Trump.”
It is not clear if and when that meeting will happen. Zaidi is being accompanied on his trip by a variety of media, including Rudaw.