Just a week after attending the funeral procession of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was in the Oval Office shaking hands with United States President Donald
Trump, underscoring the delicate balancing act Baghdad continues to perform between Washington and Tehran.
Zaidi’s visit to the White House on Tuesday was widely seen as a significant diplomatic moment for the Trump administration, which views Iraq’s new prime minister as a leader willing to strengthen ties with the United States while reducing his country’s dependence on Iran.
The 40-year-old businessman-turned-politician assumed office in May after months of political deadlock in Iraq. Backed by both Shiite political factions and the Trump administration, Zaidi emerged as a compromise candidate whom Washington believed was less reliant on Tehran’s support than his rival, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
His meeting with Trump came just days after he attended Khamenei’s funeral procession in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf.
The visit highlighted Iraq’s long-standing challenge of maintaining strategic ties with both the United States and neighbouring Iran, particularly at a time when tensions between the two countries remain high.
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Iraq’s Diplomatic Tightrope
For decades, Iraq has found itself navigating a delicate path between the United States and Iran, two rivals whose regional confrontation has frequently played out on Iraqi soil. Successive governments in Baghdad have sought to maintain ties with both powers while avoiding being drawn into their conflicts.
Last week, the holy cities of Iraq, where some of Shia Islam’s holiest shrines are located, held huge funeral processions for Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on Tehran in February.
Zaidi was among senior Iraqi officials and religious leaders who received Khamenei’s coffin after it arrived at Najaf International Airport for funeral rites in one of Shia Islam’s holiest cities.
Within days, however, the Iraqi premier was at the White House meeting Trump, whose administration has adopted a hardline stance toward Tehran and who has remained a central figure in Iran’s anti-US rhetoric, including calls for retaliation voiced during Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies.
US Pushed Against Zaidi’s Washington Visit?
Speaking to Axios, two US officials, Iranian authorities urged Zaidi and his team not to make Washington the destination of his first overseas trip as prime minister.
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However, they said Zaidi insisted on meeting Trump, a move US officials interpreted as a sign that he intends to pursue an “Iraq first” policy with greater emphasis on relations with Washington.
‘Fantastic Champion’: Trump Heaps Praise on Zaidi
During their meeting, Trump lavished praise on the Iraqi leader and even added an unscheduled lunch to the visit.
“We have a fantastic champion, a new champion … He’s been a great fighter and he’s been a great fan of America. He’s a great leader. I think he’s going to be there for a long period of time,” Trump said at the start of the meeting.
Zaidi sat beside Trump as the US president spoke about continued military strikes against Iran and the naval blockade imposed on the country. The Iraqi prime minister did not mention the ongoing Iran war.
Instead, Zaidi focused on strengthening economic cooperation with the United States, completing the planned withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in September, advancing efforts to disarm militias, and ensuring that all weapons in the country remain under the authority of the Iraqi state.
What Zaidi’s White House Visit Signals
A US official described the optics of the meeting as particularly significant.
“Zaidi’s willingness to be seated next to President Trump as Trump spoke about Iran was a powerful image, demonstrating the seriousness of his intent to align himself with the United States in spite of Iranian opposition,” the official said, while speaking to Axios.
The disarmament of Iran-backed Shiite militias featured prominently in Zaidi’s discussions with Trump and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
US officials said they hope the visit marks the first tangible sign that the Iraqi prime minister intends to follow through on his commitment to bring armed groups under state control while pursuing a foreign policy that places Iraq’s national interests first.
