Al-Zaidi praises the outcomes of his Washington visit... amid public support and political division.

Iran has officially distanced itself from the remarks made by Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor to the Supreme Leader, against Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, in the wake of his visit to Washington. This appears to be in preparation for an expected visit by Al-Zaidi to Tehran.

Following the conclusion of his five-day visit to the United States, Al-Zaidi said in a post on the 'X' platform: 'As we conclude our visit to Washington and return to beloved Baghdad, we express our deep gratitude to President Trump's administration and the friendly American people for the warm reception and appreciation.'

He added: 'We renew our government's determination to continue embodying the strategic economic partnership between the two friendly countries, and to enhance mutual trust and a shared vision for the future, based on the agreements and memoranda of understanding and cooperation we have concluded. These will lead to building a new phase of bilateral relations based on common interests in various fields, and joint coordination to consolidate stability and enhance the path of prosperity in Iraq and the entire region.'

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi (center) attends the U.S.-Iraq Business Summit on July 17, 2026, in Washington (AP).

During the visit, Iraq and the United States signed 48 agreements requiring parliamentary approval, while the signed memoranda of understanding can go into effect without it. This prompted many parties opposed to the visit, especially pro-Iranian armed factions, to view the achievements between the two countries with suspicion, 'based on the premise that achieving the minimum of these agreements and memoranda of understanding could elevate the relationship between Baghdad and Washington to a new level, in contrast to declining levels of cooperation with Iran, especially after the choking off of money smuggling to it through the agreement between the Central Bank of Iraq and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.'

In this context, Al-Zaidi described this agreement as 'a major step in the path of reforming the banking sector and enhancing its integration into the global financial system.'

He stated that 'qualifying seven Iraqi banks to return to external banking correspondent channels in other currencies, in preparation for restoring their eligibility to deal in U.S. dollars after completing compliance and governance requirements, confirms the success of the financial reform approach adopted by the government, enhances confidence in the Iraqi banking sector, and opens wider horizons for the national economy and investment.'

He emphasized continued 'support for financial and banking reforms, and the consolidation of transparency and governance principles, to serve Iraq's interests and enhance its economic standing regionally and internationally.'

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi during a meeting at the 'Pentagon' on July 14 (AP).

While Baghdad's steps this time appear confident regarding the relationship with Washington, the talk of moving to a 'new phase' in this relationship seemed surprising to many circles, especially those in the public, who expressed satisfaction with it. It was equally surprising to the opposing parties, especially those close to Iran, as they are no longer able, as they were in the past, to stop such developments led by Al-Zaidi.

Abdul Rahman Al-Jubouri, head of the 'Academy for Political Development and Good Governance,' told Asharq Al-Awsat: 'If the approach of the visit is adhered to and applied on the ground, then Iraq and Al-Zaidi will have abandoned the concept of balance and moved toward the Western camp and the United States, choosing an economic and financial ally that Iraq needs. Baghdad could, after disarming the factions, stand neutral in the war.'

In turn, Dr. Talib Mohammed Karim, professor of political thought at Al-Mustansiriya University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that 'it is too early to talk about a radical shift in the nature of the Iraqi-American relationship, but it can be said that Al-Zaidi's visit represents the beginning of an attempt to redefine this relationship. Moving from the dominance of security and military files to focusing on economy, investment, and energy reflects a trend toward building a relationship based on mutual interests rather than crisis management.'

Karim adds that 'the success of this transformation does not depend on what was achieved in Washington, but on what the government will accomplish inside Iraq. The Iraqi state still faces structural challenges, primarily weak services, corruption, and multiple decision-making centers, factors that have affected the efficiency of state institutions and their ability to attract investment and build trust with international partners.'

He explained that 'the United States has begun to view the reform path announced by the government positively, but this trust is still conditional and will depend on Baghdad's ability to translate pledges into tangible administrative, legal, and institutional reforms.'

U.S. President Donald Trump receiving Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi at the White House (AP).

Regarding the nature of the balance in the relationship between Iraq and both the United States and Iran, Dr. Karim says: 'Reading the relationship with a win-lose logic does not reflect Iraq's interest; therefore, I do not see that Iraq's success is measured by distancing from Iran or approaching the United States, but rather by its ability to build a balanced foreign policy that starts from national interest and maintains stable relations with the United States, neighboring countries, and regional states, without becoming an arena for settling conflicts between them.'

Velayati's Insult...

Furthermore, Iran sought to contain the offensive remarks made by Velayati against the Iraqi Prime Minister, describing them as 'unofficial.' On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, in a phone call, that 'relations between the two countries should not be affected by personal and unofficial statements.' He added that 'relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq are deep-rooted and strategic, based on profound historical, cultural, and religious ties, and common interests between the two peoples,' explaining that 'these valuable relations should not be affected by some personal and unofficial statements.'

Velayati, the advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader, had criticized Al-Zaidi's visit to the United States and described the Iraqi Prime Minister as 'inexperienced,' according to media reports.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi during a press conference in Baghdad on June 28, 2026 (AFP).

He said in an article published by 'Farheekhtegan' newspaper: 'The behavior of the Prime Minister during his meeting with the American President, shortly after the funeral of the former leader Ali Khamenei, is a major disgrace,' as he put it.

Iran officially remained silent on the agreements signed between Baghdad and Washington, which could pull the rug out from under its feet in Iraq, in parallel with the attacks by pro-Iranian armed factions on the visit and its outcomes.