Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is preparing a trip to Washington to secure support from the Trump administration and drum up investment for Iraq, which has suffered economic losses due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since February.
The war in Iran has also brought other threats from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. A part of the Iraqi paramilitary security forces, and as such, both inside and outside the government, Zaidi, with US support, appears to want to rein in the militias.
According to Asharq al Awsat, a London-based media outlet, “Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is preparing for a trip to the United States at President Donald Trump’s invitation. It will be his first since taking office as his government presses ahead with efforts to bring armed factions under state control.”
The report notes that Zaidi is still organizing his government. Some cabinet posts remain vacant. Over the last weeks, he secured an agreement from Muqtada al-Sadr, a Shi’ite cleric, to disarm Sadr’s large Saraya al Salam militia. However, more extreme Iranian-backed militias such as Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba have said they won’t disarm.
The report at Asharq notes, “Despite the absence of defense and interior ministers, al-Zaidi’s administration has moved forward with a sensitive disarmament campaign targeting several armed factions.” It adds that “Al-Zaidi has made state monopoly over weapons the centerpiece of his program. Backed by unusually strong public support from Trump shortly after winning parliamentary confidence, he has stressed that ending the influence of the factions is essential to reshaping Iraq’s economy and attracting foreign investment.”
US embraces Zaidi, who opposes pro-Iran ex-PM
Shafaq News in Baghdad added that “Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi announced on Saturday an upcoming official visit to the United States, accompanied by businessmen, to expand mutual and joint investment opportunities, noting at the same time that the development fund is for the private sector and will absorb a contribution from the Central Bank worth $10 billion.”
This report says he is drumming up support among Iraqi businesspeople and key economic groups ahead of the trip. Zaidi is a former banker, and he has experience in the private sector. The US has warmed to Zaidi after opposing former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is known to be very pro-Iran and almost became prime minister in February.
Shafaq says that “According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Media Office received by Shafaq News Agency, Al-Zaydi affirmed that the government relies on cooperation with the private sector to ensure the success of its reform efforts in the economy and development, and that it will adopt an open-door policy regarding the proposals, requests, and problems submitted by businessmen that require intervention and resolution.”
The report adds that “Al-Zaidi stressed the fight against corruption and extortion, and called on all businessmen or companies not to be drawn into offering any sums of money to facilitate their work and obtain their rights, and that his door is open to any case of obstruction practiced by any element within the body of the state.”
The report goes on to say that Zaidi has worked to pressure the militias not to escalate amid Israel-Iran tensions this week. “Informed sources reported on Monday that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, along with his own team, is leading an intensive effort aimed at preventing Iraqi armed factions from becoming involved in the recent military escalation between Iran and Israel, even if the United States returns to direct participation in the confrontation alongside Israel.” Maliki has also been meeting with US officials in Baghdad to discuss the issue of militias and their control of weapons.
