US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani that an Iranian-controlled government would not allow his country to "fully realise its potential", with Iraq working to form a new cabinet.
In a phone call on Sunday evening, Mr Rubio "emphasised that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq’s own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership" between the US and Baghdad, the State Department said.
Mr Rubio also spoke about Iraq's efforts to form a government after parliamentary elections in November. He emphasised Washington's "commitment to ensuring that Iraq can fully realise its potential as a force for stability, prosperity and security in the Middle East".
The Iran-aligned, Shiite-led Co-ordination Framework has nominated former prime minister Nouri Al Maliki as its candidate to lead the next government. He was accused of deepening the country's sectarian politics, fuelling corruption and increasing tension with Iraq’s mainly Sunni neighbours. He has forged alliances with Iran and its proxies in Iraq.
Mr Al Maliki has repeatedly denied enabling Iran-backed militant groups while in power, as billions of dollars of US reconstruction funds flowed into Iraq.
For years, Baghdad has attempted to maintain a precarious balance between Tehran and Washington. Both powers continue to push for influence and are exerting pressure on Iraq as it looks to navigate domestic rivalries and a volatile security environment.
Tension has also been high between the US and Iran in recent weeks. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene and strike Iran over the killing of protesters in the largest wave of unrest the country has experienced in years. Tehran has warned it would respond by striking US bases in the region.
Mr Trump also said an “armada” of American warships was heading to the Middle East. US officials said the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and several guided-missile destroyers are to arrive in the region, alongside additional air defence systems to protect American bases from any Iranian retaliation.
In addition to domestic political challenges and developments in Iran, Iraq has also expressed concerns about clashes in north-east Syria between government troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Kurdish leaders in Iraq's Kurdistan region are involved in mediation efforts and protests have taken place in support of Kurds in Syria.
The SDF has also withdrawn from ISIS prisons, leaving them under the control of the Syrian government. The US has started an operation to transfer detainees from sites in north-east Syria to Iraq.
Mr Rubio commended Iraq for its "initiative and leadership in expediting the transfer and detention of ISIS terrorists to secure facilities in Iraq". The country's judiciary is set to prosecute transferred ISIS members in an operation that security officials say was driven by deepening distrust of the Syrian military.
An Iraqi security official told The National that the current plan is for the detainees to be held at Nasiriyah Prison in Dhi Qar and Nasiriyah Prison near Baghdad airport, with smaller numbers to be placed in Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan region. Thousands of foreign citizens are among the detainees.
In the call, Mr Rubio and Mr Al Sudani "discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to ensure countries rapidly repatriate their citizens in Iraq, bringing them to justice".
