June 16, (THEWILL) — United States President, Donald Trump, will host Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, at the White House in mid-July as Washington and Baghdad intensify diplomatic engagement to strengthen bilateral cooperation on security, economic development and energy partnerships amid Iraq’s renewed efforts to assert full state sovereignty.
The planned meeting was disclosed in a joint statement issued on Tuesday by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad following talks between Iraqi Prime Minister, Zaidi, and Trump’s Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq, Tom Barrack, during a meeting held in Baghdad on June 15.
According to the statement, Barrack formally delivered President Trump’s invitation to the Iraqi leader, paving the way for what is expected to be a high-level strategic dialogue focused on the future of relations between both countries.
“Special Presidential Envoy Barrack conveyed that President Trump looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Al-Zaidi to the White House mid-July to discuss the future of this important relationship”, the statement read.
The upcoming meeting signals renewed momentum in U.S.-Iraq relations as both governments reaffirmed their commitment to a stronger and mutually beneficial partnership designed to help Iraq achieve long-term security, economic prosperity and full sovereignty while advancing American strategic interests in the Middle East.
Security issues dominated discussions between both officials, particularly Iraq’s plans to dismantle armed groups and militias operating outside the authority of the state.
The two sides reviewed Baghdad’s ongoing efforts to disarm and dissolve armed formations not under official government command, stressing the urgency of ensuring that all weapons across the country come under the exclusive control of the Iraqi government.
According to the statement, Washington and Baghdad agreed that such measures are necessary to shield Iraq from regional conflicts and prevent its territory from being used by any actor seeking to threaten peace and stability across the wider Middle East region.
Both officials also reiterated a shared vision of an Iraq free from terrorism and governed under full sovereign authority. They emphasised support for a strong, united and democratic federal Iraq built on constitutional governance, effective state institutions and equal rights for all citizens as essential pillars for long-term national stability and prosperity.
Economic cooperation also featured prominently during the discussions. Prime Minister Zaidi reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to expanding trade and investment relations with the United States, a position welcomed by Barrack as part of efforts to deepen commercial engagement between both nations.
In a major technology development, both sides praised Iraq’s decision to approve an operating licence for Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, enabling the company to begin offering internet services to Iraqi consumers.
The two countries discussed plans to begin negotiations with American oil giant Chevron for the development of Iraq’s West Qurna-2 and Nasiriyah oil fields, projects expected to significantly boost Iraq’s production capacity while generating economic benefits for both countries.
Baghdad also pledged to facilitate the return of several U.S. energy firms, including HKN, Western Zagros and Hunt, assuring that the companies would operate under full security guarantees.
Further discussions focused on advancing a memorandum of understanding with TI Capital to rehabilitate the strategic Kirkuk-Baniyas Pipeline, a key oil export route considered crucial to Iraq’s long-term energy infrastructure strategy.
The two governments also reaffirmed plans to strengthen cooperation in addressing Iraq’s electricity challenges through projects to improve energy supply nationwide. Among the projects discussed was an Excelerate Energy initiative to develop an integrated liquefied natural gas import terminal at Khor Zubair, part of wider efforts to modernise Iraq’s energy infrastructure and reduce chronic electricity shortages.
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