Former Erbil consul confirmed as US Charge d’Affaires to Iraq
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Ambassador Steven Fagin was officially appointed as the US Charge d’Affaires to Iraq on Wednesday, with the senior diplomat having previously served as a the Consul General to Erbil.
A career member of the US Foreign Service, Fagin’s appointment was announced by the US Embassy in Baghdad, who asserted that he “brings extensive regional experience that will further strengthen the US-Iraq relationship, advancing a mutually beneficial future for Americans and Iraqis.”
Fagin will replace outgoing Charge d’Affaires Joshua Harris, who assumed the role in September 2025 and was a key US interface in managing relations with the new government of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
The diplomat has been deeply involved in Iraqi and Kurdish affairs over the course of his career, having served as head of the Erbil consulate between 2018 and 2020 before proceeding to work as the deputy chief of mission in Baghdad before being appointed as US ambassador to Yemen in 2022.
The Consulate General in Erbil wrote on X that its staff are “thrilled” to welcome Fagin back to a role in American diplomacy in Iraq, adding that “many of us in Erbil fondly remember Ambassador Fagin as our Consul General from 2018 to 2020, when he worked to strengthen ties with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.”
“That experience will serve him well as he advances US interests across all of Iraq, including the [Kurdistan Region]. Congratulations, Ambassador Fagin, from all of us who had the privilege of working alongside you. We look forward to your continued leadership strengthening US partnerships across the country.”
Fagin joined the Foreign Service in 1997 and has served in Brussels, Islamabad, Astana, Mostar, Minsk, Tbilisi, and Cairo, in addition to his roles in Iraq and headquarters-based duties in Washington. According to the State Department, the now-Charge d’Affaires “is the recipient of multiple Meritorious Honor, Superior Honor, and Senior Performance Pay Awards and two Presidential Meritorious Rank Awards.”
In October 2025, Fagin was announced as the civilian lead of the Gaza Civil-Military Cooperation Center, which was established to support stabilization efforts in the Palestinian territory following the reaching of a US-backed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
According to his official LinkedIn page, Fagin served in the role until December 2025.