Donald Trump has invited the prime minister-elect of Iraq to visit Washington after forming a new government, while the United States wants to curb Iran’s influence on its neighbor.
In a telephone conversation, Trump and Ali al-Zaidi discussed “ways to develop and strengthen” bilateral relations between the United States and Iraq in various fields, according to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office. They also agreed to cooperate to strengthen stability in the region.
Iraq’s largest Shiite coalition, the Coordination System, nominated Zaidi as the next prime minister after Nouri al-Maliki, who held the post between 2006 and 2014, withdrew his bid for re-election.
The candidacy of Maliki, who boasts close ties to Iran, has worried Washington, with Trump stressing that his return would cause a rift between the US and Iraq – the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ second-largest producer.
