Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi Visits Tehran After Washington Trip to Discuss Regional Issues

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran on Thursday for his first official visit to Iran since taking office, following a recent trip to Washington. During his visit, Al-Zaidi is scheduled to meet with senior Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to discuss various regional matters, notably the escalating tensions with the United States.

Relations between Iraq and Iran have been strained recently due to former U.S. President Donald Trump's intervention, which pressured Al-Zaidi to exclude pro-Iranian factions from his government. Although Al-Zaidi initially tried to comply, internal and external pressures led him to include pro-Iranian groups in his cabinet, while successfully excluding the powerful terrorist organization Kata'ib Hezbollah.

A key topic in the talks will be Iraq's effort to regain control over weaponry monopolized by Iranian-backed militias, which have grown influential over the past two decades. Iran opposes this move, as it risks weakening its proxy forces in Iraq, especially after setbacks in Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon. Al-Zaidi faces the challenge of balancing U.S. expectations and Iranian influence amid rising regional tensions.

According to Arab media, a short-term goal of Al-Zaidi's visit is to promote reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route through which Iraq exports its petroleum. The recent closure of the strait reportedly cost Iraq around $50 billion. With escalating threats between involved parties and increasing tensions in Israel, Al-Zaidi's mission to reopen the strait appears difficult to achieve.