Al-Zaidi Announces Key Advances in US-Iraq Trade and Investment Relations
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi praised the outcome of his five-day Washington visit, announcing that Iraq and the United States signed 48 agreements aimed at reshaping bilateral ties beyond security toward economic, investment, and energy cooperation.
Al-Zaidi thanked President Donald Trump’s administration for its warm reception and said the deals could usher in a new phase of relations based on shared interests. “Our government remains determined to translate the strategic economic partnership between the two friendly countries into reality,” he wrote on X.
Among the agreements was a banking deal with the US Treasury aimed at curbing the smuggling of funds to Iran. Al-Zaidi said seven Iraqi banks had been cleared to resume foreign correspondent banking in currencies other than the dollar, paving the way for restoring their eligibility for dollar transactions once compliance requirements are met.
The visit drew political divisions at home, with Iran-aligned armed factions viewing the outcome with suspicion. Tehran officially distanced itself from critical remarks made by adviser Ali Akbar Velayati, who had described Al-Zaidi as “inexperienced.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Iraqi counterpart that bilateral ties should not be affected by “personal and unofficial” comments.
Analysts offered differing views on the visit’s significance. Abdulrahman al-Jubouri said implementing the agenda would signal Iraq had abandoned its traditional balanced policy in favor of closer Western alignment, while Talib Mohammed Karim described it as an attempt to “redefine” ties rather than a fundamental shift.
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