Shafaq News
At a time ofmounting regional complexity marked by renewed tensions between Washington andTehran and their potential repercussions for Iraq and global energy markets,Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi arrived in Washington on Monday at the headof a high-level government and economic delegation in his first foreign visitsince taking office.
The visitencompasses several interrelated files, beginning with strengthening economicand investment ties between Baghdad and Washington, extending to securityissues and efforts to ensure that arms remain exclusively under state control,and culminating in discussions on the future of the strategic relationshipbetween the two countries as the Iraqi government seeks to move beyond crisismanagement toward building long-term partnerships.
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A NewRelationship With Washington
Issam Al-Faili,professor of political science at Mustansiriyah University, viewed Al-Zaidi'svisit as part of efforts to reaffirm the nature of Iraq's relationship with theUnited States, particularly in light of the support the prime minister hasreceived from the US administration since the formation of his government.
In remarks toShafaq News, Al-Faili argued that Al-Zaidi has reinforced that trajectory byfocusing on issues long prioritized by Washington, foremost among themcombating corruption and addressing the issue of uncontrolled weapons.
He noted thatUS President Donald Trump was keen to provide clear support for Al-Zaidi,whether by welcoming his appointment as prime minister or by attempting to opena new path away from the traditional political class that had managed thepolitical scene over the past years.
“Such supportcreates the impression that Washington wants to establish a new transitionalrelationship with Iraq,” he said, adding that this relationship is based onpractical priorities, most notably fighting corruption, bringing weaponsoutside state authority under government control, and expanding Americaninvestment.
He furtherexplained that efforts to activate the 2009 Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA)between Iraq and the United States, particularly its economic dimension, hadfaced obstacles in recent years linked to “corruption and the proliferation ofuncontrolled weapons.”
"For thatreason, the current government is trying to take practical steps to addressthese issues."
Al-Faili alsoconsidered the proposal to establish a joint sovereign fund between Iraq andthe United States, backed by reserves amounting to 500 million barrels of oil,as an attempt to introduce a new model of cooperation. In his assessment, theproposal sends a message to the US administration that Baghdad is approachingthe partnership differently from previous governments, whose agreements withWashington largely remained within a protocol framework.
"TheUnited States is moving toward strengthening its political and economicrelationship with Iraq during the coming period."
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Regional FileRemains On The Agenda
As tensionsbetween Washington and Tehran resurface, questions have emerged over whetherIraq could play a role in easing regional strains, given its geographicposition and interconnected interests with both sides.
Addressing thisissue, Hassan Fadam, a senior figure in the al-Hikma Movement led by AmmarAl-Hakim, anticipated that the regional file would feature in the discussions,though not as the sole focus of the visit.
Speaking toShafaq News, Fadam explained that the inclusion of US-Iran tensions on theagenda is directly tied to Iraq's economy as well as its political and securityconditions, pointing out that the international community recognizes the extentto which Iraq is affected by any escalation in the region.
"TheIranian-American dispute is complex and cannot be resolved through a dialogueor meeting between the Iraqi prime minister and the US president held over amatter of hours.”
Fadam addedthat major powers possess detailed files on the issue and have been conductingnegotiations for months without reaching an outcome. Consequently, he argued,it would be unrealistic to expect a single visit to determine the course ofthat process.
Instead, thediscussions are expected to focus primarily on matters directly concerningIraq, including the economy, security, stability, bilateral relations, thefuture of the US presence following the conclusion of the Global Coalition'smission in Iraq at the end of September, in addition to expanding Americaninvestments and the activities of US companies inside the country.
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Economic andInvestment Priorities
MP Safaa Laftaof the Sadiqoon bloc, the political wing of Asaib Ahl al-Haq led by QaisAl-Khazali, maintained that the prime minister's visit, together with theaccompanying delegation, is fundamentally linked to bilateral relations betweenBaghdad and Washington.
Lafta toldShafaq News that the objective of the visit is "to strengthen the Iraqistate and the political system, and to organize economic, commercial, andinvestment relations between the two countries."
He added thatalthough regional developments may arise during the meetings, the primaryemphasis remains on issues directly connected to Iraq's national interests,underlining that the current stage requires enhancing the state's ability tobuild balanced relationships that serve Iraq's economy and reinforce domesticstability.
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Oil and RevenueChallenges
Meanwhile, MPAhmed Dagher of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, headed byMohammed Shia Al-Sudani, pointed out that Iraq continues to face economicchallenges largely stemming from its heavy dependence on oil exports.
Dagherexplained, in an interview with Shafaq News, that Iraq had experienced an economiccrisis due to the disruption of oil exports, which constitute the country'sprincipal source of national revenue, describing Al-Zaidi's visit as part of apackage of solutions that Iraq needs at this stage, particularly since some ofthe country's crises are linked to domestic factors and require governmentmeasures aimed at diversifying oil export outlets.
"We hopethat the visit will produce practical results that serve Iraq and help addressits economic challenges.”
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Written andEdited by Shafaq News Staff.