Al-Zaidi

Iraq opens new Coptic cathedral in Baghdad welcoming diaspora Christians to return safely

"The opening of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, St. Paul, and St. Anthony for the Copts in Baghdad holds great symbolic significance, as it is the first of its kind in Iraq," Hammadi said.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Christians attend a service at the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate Church during a mass for "World Peace", where all Christian denominations gathered to pray for an end to the war in the Middle East, in Baghdad on April 16, 2026.
Prime Minister of Iraq Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on July 14, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Between Iran, Iraq and a hard place: Iraq’s prime minister weighs next moves - analysis

The question for Iraq’s prime minister this week will be whether he will continue on his path of pressure on the militias, or if he will back down.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
People watch as smoke billows from an oil warehouse in the Kani Qirzhala area on the outskirts of Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, following a suspected drone strike, on April 1, 2026.

Widespread blackout caused by drone attack on Khor Mor gas field, exposing Iraqi vulnerabilities

The attack struck a gas storage and truck-loading facility containing approximately 1,500 tons of cooking gas, according to Rudaw.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Fighters lift flags of Iraq and paramilitary groups, including al-Nujaba and Kataib Hezbollah, during a funeral in Baghdad for five militants killed a day earlier in a US strike in northern Iraq, on December 4, 2023.

Iran-backed Iraqi militias may lash out amid increased pressure from US - analysis

Iran-backed militias in Iraq have played a central role in expanding Tehran’s influence in the country, particularly through their involvement in the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Iraq forced to balance US, Iran relations after separate meetings with Trump, Iranian ambassador

Over the last decade, Iraq has been weakened from within because of Iranian-backed militias. Some of the militias have historical ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

JULY 21, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government headed by Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister, at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.

US pushes Mediterranean oil pipelines to bypass Strait of Hormuz despite proxy security risks

Middle East correspondent Battaglia said that, in her view, if it were up to al-Zaidi, Baghdad would already have decided to chart its future with the United States rather than with Iran.

JULY 19, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi as they participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington.

Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi's visit to US, meeting with Trump strengthens US-Iraq ties - analysis

It appears that Trump likes Iraq’s new leader. Zaidi is a former businessperson, like Trump. As such, Zaidi tried to present a new face of Iraq to the White House.

JULY 15, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi as they participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 14, 2026.

Iraq's PM arrives in Washington as US presses Baghdad on Iran-backed militias - analysis

Iraq is already a kind of frontline between the US and Iran. After the US and Israel began strikes on Iran on February 28, the Iranians operationalized militias in Iraq.

JULY 14, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government headed by Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister, at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.

Iraqi prime minister to visit Washington on Monday, oil and gas deals expected

"The agreements to be signed will include several memorandums of understanding in the oil and gas sector as Iraq prepares to bring in various US companies," a government spokesperson said.

JULY 12, 2026ByREUTERS
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government headed by Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister, at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.

US resumes transfer of American currency to Iraq after Iran-related suspension - report

The report cited an Iraqi Kurdish official who attributed the measures as a response to the smuggling of US dollars by Iran-backed Iraqi militias.

JULY 2, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
An American $100 dollar bill.

Iraq PM's anti-corruption raids test resolve against Iran-backed power networks - analysis

That gap between optics and substance could become decisive ahead of Al-Zaidi’s expected Washington visit.

JULY 1, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government headed by Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister, at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.