Friend or Foe? A Week After Honouring Iran’s Khamenei, Iraqi PM Shakes Hands with Trump
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has found himself at the centre of a diplomatic balancing act after attending the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Najaf just days before travelling to Washington for a high-profile meeting with US President Donald Trump. The contrasting appearances have highlighted Iraq’s delicate position as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify.
Zaidi joined senior Iraqi officials and Iranian leaders in paying respects to Khamenei during funeral ceremonies held in Iraq’s holy Shia city of Najaf. The visit underscored Iraq’s deep religious, political and economic ties with neighbouring Iran, which has long exercised significant influence through allied political parties and armed groups operating inside the country.
Less than a week later, the Iraqi leader was welcomed to the White House, where President Trump praised him as a “champion” and spoke of the “tremendous chemistry” between the two leaders. Trump even added an unscheduled lunch to the official programme, signalling Washington’s strong support for Zaidi’s leadership and its desire to strengthen bilateral ties.
The meeting carried added significance because it came amid direct military confrontation between the United States and Iran. During the Oval Office appearance, Zaidi remained seated alongside Trump as the US President discussed continued military operations against Iran and efforts to curb Tehran’s regional influence. The optics were widely viewed as a signal that Baghdad is attempting to preserve strategic relations with Washington despite maintaining close ties with Tehran.
According to US officials cited by multiple reports, Iranian authorities had urged Zaidi to avoid making Washington the destination of his first major foreign visit as prime minister. However, he proceeded with the trip, reinforcing what American officials describe as an “Iraq First” foreign policy aimed at expanding economic cooperation with the United States while gradually reducing Iraq’s dependence on Iran.
During the White House talks, both sides focused on expanding trade and investment, increasing Iraq’s oil production and addressing the future of Iran-backed militias operating inside Iraq. Zaidi also reiterated his government’s intention to transition relations with the United States from a primarily military partnership to one centred on economic development and investment.
Despite the symbolism of the Washington visit, Iraqi officials insist that stronger ties with the United States do not represent a break with Iran. Analysts note that every Iraqi government since 2003 has been forced to carefully balance relations between the country’s two most influential external partners. Any sharp shift towards either side risks political instability at home, where both pro-Iran factions and pro-Western interests remain deeply entrenched.
The episode illustrates the increasingly complex geopolitical landscape in the Middle East. By honouring Iran’s most influential leader one week and receiving a warm welcome from his chief geopolitical rival the next, Ali al-Zaidi has demonstrated the difficult diplomacy required to navigate Iraq’s national interests amid an escalating US-Iran confrontation. Whether Baghdad can continue maintaining this balance will likely shape both Iraq’s stability and the broader regional security environment in the months ahead.
