Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi’s visit to Washington was as much about political performance as it was policy initiative, with experts telling The National the “charm offensive” was aimed at converting closer US ties into economic and security gains.
Mr Al Zaidi concluded a week-long trip to the US capital on Sunday that won over US President Donald Trump and his administration, and resulted in the signing of dozens of economic deals. He presented himself as a pragmatic and business-friendly leader capable of engaging American partners and securing support for Iraq's reform agenda.
“The visit was part political theatre, part policy pitch – a charm offensive intended to translate improved ties with Washington into tangible investment and security co-operation,” said Inna Rudolf, an Iraq expert and senior fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London.
The Prime Minister “played to his strengths: projecting the image of a pragmatic, deal‑orientated leader who can woo American partners – and Mr Trump responded to that performance,” she told The National.
Relations between Iraq and the US have at times been strained over the presence of American troops in Iraq, Baghdad's ties with Iran and US pressure on Iraq to curb the influence of Iranian-backed armed groups.
However, after being nominated for the premiership in April, Mr Al Zaidi received congratulations from Mr Trump, who said he was hoping for closer co-operation between Baghdad and Washington.
The Trump administration is “positively smitten” by Mr Al Zaidi, who was showered with praise by Mr Trump in the Oval Office, Victoria Taylor, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council, told The National.
Washington has concluded that Mr Al Zaidi is the “right leader to deliver on core US priorities” including disarming Iraq's militias and developing Iraq's energy sector in co-operation with US companies, Ms Taylor said.
The trip was “political theatre and clear signalling” that Mr Al Zaidi is the man for the job and is aligned with US objectives in Iraq – to curb Iranian influence, Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at London's Chatham House, told The National.
“It's Mr Al Zaidi’s first foreign trip and the fact that it’s to the US so early in his term signals an effort to strengthen the relationship,” he added.
Cautious optimism
Mr Al Zaidi, a businessman with no political experience, has set September 30 as the deadline for armed factions active across Iraq to disarm, a pledge experts are sceptical about due to Tehran's strong ties within the government and security sector.
Another promise made by Mr Al Zaidi and Mr Trump was that the remaining US forces in Iraq, believed to be fewer than 2,000, would withdraw from the country by September 30.
“Despite the Prime Minister's promise of disarming and integrating armed groups, I don’t see Washington’s timeline being realistic,” Mr Mansour said. “He can only go so far.
“Confronting militias would likely require force and corruption is so deeply entrenched that meaningful reform has to start at the top. For now, he’s more likely to focus on lower-hanging fruit than systemic change.”
Iranian pressure, entrenched political interests and the risk of renewed militia attacks amid escalating US-Iran hostilities will make implementation of Mr Al Zaidi’s pledges difficult.
Ms Rudolf said: “The real work must begin when he returns to Baghdad. He will face many of the same obstacles that thwarted his predecessors, including strong pressure from Iran and a political system that has many vested interests in maintaining the status quo.
“With the US strikes on Iran resuming, Mr Al Zaidi is also facing a potential resumption of militia attacks just as he is trying to focus on their disarmament.”
Ms Rudolf said that while the optics may help open doors in Washington, translating high-level meetings into tangible projects will require sustained follow-through by Baghdad beyond the diplomatic spectacle.
Any gains from the visit remain opportunities rather than guarantees, with outcomes dependent on continued engagement with Washington, US conditions for support, and Iraq's ability to implement reforms, particularly in a security sector still heavily penetrated by Iran-aligned networks, Mr Rudolf said.
For years, Baghdad has attempted to balance ties between Tehran and Washington, its two main allies and rivals currently locked in conflict.
Iraq has aimed to distance itself from the US-Israeli war on Iran launched on February 28 but it has been one of several fronts in the conflict. Iran-backed Iraqi militias have attacked US bases across the region from Iraqi territory.
The regional escalation continued during Mr Al Zaidi's visit to Washington this week.
Mr Al Zaidi is expected to visit Iran after his successful trip to Washington, Sajad Jiyad, an Iraq expert at the Century Foundation, told The National.
“It will be interesting to see what kind of reception he gets in Iran, if there are any deals there to be made. Mr Al Zaidi does not want to disturb ties with Iran,” he said.
“Iraq is neighbours with Iran and wants to have a good relationship, but also Iraq is trying to improve its relationship with the US.” This puts pressure on Baghdad to ensure all sides are satisfied.
It comes against “the backdrop of potential further rounds of violence between Iran and the US, but the question remains what happens to Iraq in that situation?” Mr Jiyad said.
