Iraq’s Zaidi to follow US trip with regional tour aimed at boosting ties
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Tuesday he would visit Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran after his planned trip to Washington next month, signalling Baghdad’s determination to deepen ties with regional powers while maintaining a balanced foreign policy amid rapidly shifting Middle East dynamics.
Zaidi said the sequence of his overseas visits reflected Iraq’s strategic interests and requirements for joint cooperation rather than the order in which official invitations had been received.
Following meetings with US President Donald Trump in Washington, Zaidi said Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran would be his priority regional destinations despite invitations from several European countries, including France, Britain and Germany.
The regional tour comes as Iraq seeks to strengthen its diplomatic profile at a time of heightened geopolitical competition and continuing security tensions across the Middle East, while positioning itself as a bridge between rival regional powers rather than an arena for their competition.
Talks in Ankara are expected to focus on security cooperation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), whose fighters maintain bases in northern Iraq, as well as water shortages resulting from declining flows in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
The two sides are also expected to discuss trade, investment and the planned Development Road transport corridor, a flagship Iraqi infrastructure project intended to link the Gulf with Turkey and Europe.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan invited Zaidi to visit Ankara earlier this month to discuss bilateral cooperation and implementation of the project.
Zaidi has also urged Turkish companies to expand investment in Iraq, saying private-sector participation would be central to strengthening economic ties.
His visit to Saudi Arabia is expected to build on improving relations between Baghdad and Riyadh, with discussions likely to focus on attracting Saudi investment in energy, agriculture, industry and infrastructure, while expanding cooperation on electricity interconnection and renewable energy.
The visit to Iran is expected to centre on border security, energy cooperation, gas supplies and the regional security environment, reflecting the close political and economic ties between the two neighbours.
Baghdad has sought to preserve strong relations with Tehran while simultaneously maintaining its strategic partnership with Washington and expanding cooperation with Arab states.
The diplomatic initiative coincides with domestic efforts by Zaidi’s government to reinforce state authority over security policy.
The prime minister has pledged to eliminate weapons outside state control and announced plans to hold a National Sovereignty Conference later this year aimed at reinforcing the state’s monopoly over the use of force.