Iraq has appointed a Christian Armenian as its new ambassador to the US, a position that is generally held by a member of the country's Muslim majority, officials told The National on Thursday.
Krikor Der-Hagopian, 49, was an adviser on international relations to former prime minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani and has close ties with current Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi.
He will replace veteran diplomat Nizar Al Khairallah, who served as deputy foreign minister before being posted to Washington. Baghdad has submitted Mr Der-Hagopian's papers to Washington and “we are awaiting the response from the American side”, an Iraqi official told The National.
Mr Der-Hagopian served as head of the Directorate of International Relations under Mr Al Sudani’s government from 2022 to 2026. He has built relationships with the majority of Iraq’s political actors and has extensive knowledge of the country's diverse groups.
He is a “competent and able person, and the new prime minister has no prejudices and has Iraq’s interest in mind”, the Iraqi official said.
It is not clear when the new ambassador will assume his post. “It is in the hands of the American side now as to how soon they give him the go-ahead,” the official said.
Iraq is facing mounting pressure from the US to strengthen ties with Washington while distancing itself from Iran and acting against Tehran-aligned Iraqi armed factions.
Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at London's Chatham House, told The National that Mr Der-Hagopian is seen as a key interlocutor between Baghdad and Washington.
Iraq-US relations are at a particularly fragile moment, with recent sanctions and threats contributing to what officials fear could be one of its lowest points. Mr Al Zaidi's choice of ambassador could be seen as a way to “please the US”, Mr Mansour said.
Mr Der-Hagopian has held senior roles in Iraq’s presidency and prime minister’s office and worked on US relations during Mr Al Sudani's administration, providing continuity as the new Prime Minister navigates complex external pressures, he said.
The Armenian community is one of the smallest in Iraq. Armenians began arriving from Iran several centuries ago and settled between Baghdad and Mosul.
There are no reliable statistics, but about 25,000 Armenians were believed to be living in Iraq before the US-led invasion of 2003. Since then, many have sought safety in Europe, with some returning to Armenia.
Iraq's Armenian community tends to keep a low profile. Culturally, they consider themselves part of Iraq but maintain ties with Armenia.
