Iraq’s prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, is slated to visit Washington in July. His visit is expected to “discuss strategic ties between Iraq and the United States, with economic cooperation topping the agenda, according to an Iraqi government spokesperson,” Rudaw media in Erbil in the Kurdistan autonomous Region of northern Iraq reported.
This is an important upcoming visit for the Iraqi leader, who has only been in office for a couple of months. He was appointed after six months of political struggles in Iraq following a November 2025 election. As such, he came into office with many hoping he could resolve Iraq’s problems.
Iraq is facing economic hardship due to the current blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Zaidi is attempting to rein in Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. As such, he faces major hurdles at home and will want US support.
There have been reports that Syria’s president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, had also hoped for a visit to the White House. He has so far enjoyed a good relationship with the Trump administration, which. has sought to reduce sanctions on Syria. This is important because Syria wants reconstruction investment. Syria is also trying to improve its economic situation within the framework of the current Iran conflict, as trade routes over land now look more secure.
US Ambassador Tom Barrack, who is ambassador to Turkey, is also the envoy to Iraq and Syria. With Iraq and Syria sharing an envoy, it is possible that both countries might angle for a visit coordinated with Barrack. This could be important for Iraq and Syria, as well as for US policy. It could help stabilize both countries.
Currently, a visit by Sharaa to the United States has not been confirmed. Nevertheless, it is possible that it could happen. The Trump administration will want to end the Iran conflict and achieve a deal while trying to show that it can stabilize Iraq and Syria. The US anti-ISIS mission has wrapped up in Syria and is expected to wrap up in Iraq in September this year.
Iraq seeks to strengthen economic ties with US
“On Saturday, Haider al-Aboudi [former Iraqi prime minister, from 2014-2018] said the visit [by Iraq’s current prime minister] would focus on strengthening bilateral relations through an economic lens,” Rudaw media reported.
The report goes on to note, “The files concerning the strategic relations between the two countries will be discussed during the visit. The agenda begins with economic issues because the current Iraqi government’s vision is that the economy is the engine of the state,” Aboudi said.
Rudaw further noted that “Zaidi’s anticipated visit comes as Iraq seeks to balance its strategic partnership with Washington while expanding economic cooperation and attracting foreign investment.
“Baghdad and Washington have maintained regular dialogue through mechanisms such as the Higher Coordinating Committee under the Strategic Framework Agreement, with security, energy, and economic issues featuring prominently in bilateral discussions.”
Meanwhile, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, announced on Saturday that his country had joined the informal forum, Group of Friends for combating Technology-facilitated Trafficking in Persons, Syrian state media SANA noted.
Syria has also proposed a “Four Seas Initiative,” which state media calls “an ambitious plan to transform the country into a regional hub for energy, transport, and trade connectivity. The proposal received renewed attention this week during a policy discussion in Washington that brought together Syrian officials, energy experts, and regional analysts,” SANA reported.