Iraq’s Ali al-Zaidi Heads to Washington for High-Stakes Talks

The visit follows an invitation from President Donald Trump, marking a pivotal moment for the administration that took power earlier this year with Washington’s tacit support. Government spokesperson Haidar al-Aboudi confirmed the delegation will prioritize economic recovery, specifically targeting partnerships within Iraq’s oil and power sectors. To facilitate this, Baghdad is negotiating a significant deal: depositing 500,000 barrels of oil per day into a specialized fund in exchange for direct improvements to the nation’s crumbling electricity infrastructure.

Economic progress remains tethered to internal security, a point of friction between the two nations. The United States has consistently pressured Baghdad to dismantle Iran-backed militias that frequently strike American facilities. While al-Zaidi has publicly pledged to rein in these factions, he faces internal resistance from powerful political blocs. As a signal of renewed cooperation, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has resumed cash shipments of Iraq’s oil revenue—a measure previously suspended to force compliance on the disarmament issue. Beyond the high-level meetings, the Iraqi delegation aims to finalize multiple agreements with US corporations to modernize a state long plagued by mismanagement and the fallout of regional conflict.