Victoria Taylor Says Iraq’s Early Goodwill in Washington Hinges on Delivering Reform

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrives in Washington with a political advantage that many Iraqi leaders have not enjoyed at the outset of relations with a new U.S. administration. Yet that favorable atmosphere should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a guarantee, according to Victoria Taylor, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran and director of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council.

In an exclusive interview with Kurdistan24 correspondent Issa Hassan, Taylor said the new Iraqi government begins its engagement with President Donald Trump’s administration from a position of considerable goodwill.

She cautioned, however, that the durability of that support will ultimately depend on whether Baghdad can demonstrate measurable progress on reforms that Washington considers essential.

Her assessment comes as al-Zaidi leads his first official visit to the United States since taking office, heading a broad delegation tasked with expanding economic cooperation while defining the next chapter of Iraq’s security relationship with its longtime partner.

Taken together, the discussions suggest Baghdad is seeking to reshape bilateral ties beyond their traditional focus on counterterrorism, placing investment, institutional development and long-term strategic cooperation alongside defense issues as equal priorities.

Taylor argued that, despite changes in leadership, Iraq’s new government shares many structural similarities with its predecessor. Both prime ministers emerged from the Shiite Coordination Framework, meaning many of the same policy challenges are likely to remain on the agenda in Washington.

Where al-Zaidi differs, she suggested, is in the timing of his relationship with the White House. Receiving an invitation to Washington so early in his tenure reflects a level of political openness that provides room to build momentum before more difficult policy questions emerge.

That opportunity, however, carries expectations.

Taylor said maintaining support from Washington will require visible progress on issues that have long shaped U.S. policy toward Iraq, particularly strengthening state authority over security institutions and advancing efforts to bring all weapons under government control.

Rather than treating those issues as isolated security concerns, Iraqi officials increasingly present them as prerequisites for broader political and economic stability.

That message was echoed throughout interviews conducted by Kurdistan24 correspondent Issa Hassan with members of Iraq’s delegation, who described the Washington visit as encompassing far more than diplomatic protocol.

Dr. Khalaf Khidir Sinjari, adviser to the Iraqi Council of Ministers for Ezidi Affairs, said the delegation itself reflects the breadth of Baghdad’s agenda. Ministers, parliamentary representatives, advisers, officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government and other participants are involved in discussions spanning diplomacy, energy, commerce and strategic cooperation.

According to Sinjari, attracting greater American investment stands among the government’s foremost objectives. He said Iraq hopes to encourage U.S. companies to expand their presence across the country while strengthening long-term strategic partnerships capable of supporting economic development during a period of regional uncertainty.

His description closely aligns with the broader economic strategy outlined by Iraqi officials before the visit, which seeks to move bilateral relations beyond a framework dominated by security cooperation toward one increasingly driven by commercial ties, reconstruction and institutional modernization.

Taylor’s analysis suggests Washington is receptive to that evolution.

She noted that the Trump administration has shown particular interest in economic engagement and business opportunities alongside traditional security cooperation, indicating that future relations may increasingly be measured by practical outcomes rather than symbolic diplomatic exchanges.

Security, however, remains inseparable from those ambitions.

Sinjari said the government continues to pursue a policy aimed at ensuring that security decisions remain exclusively under state authority. He described ongoing discussions with armed groups and said some have already begun relinquishing weapons, while negotiations with others continue under the government’s broader program.

The objective, he explained, is to consolidate national security institutions while creating conditions that encourage investment and strengthen confidence among international companies considering long-term projects in Iraq.

That assessment closely mirrors Taylor’s argument that Washington will judge Baghdad not simply by its promises but by its ability to implement reforms.

She described the current period as something akin to a political honeymoon, warning that goodwill alone will not sustain American backing indefinitely. Over the coming months, she said, Iraqi leaders will need to demonstrate concrete achievements if they hope to preserve the favorable environment that currently exists.

Taylor also downplayed expectations that relations between Baghdad and Erbil would become a central subject during White House discussions.

While acknowledging that the Trump administration has intervened on specific issues affecting both governments, including efforts related to the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline, she said Washington has generally avoided positioning itself as the primary mediator between the two capitals. Instead, she expects broader strategic issues to dominate the agenda.

Those broader priorities extend well beyond Baghdad itself.

Nineveh Governor Abdul Qader al-Dakhil told Kurdistan24 correspondent Issa Hassan that the visit is intended to establish what he described as a genuine partnership with the United States, one increasingly centered on economic development rather than security alone.

For Nineveh, he said, that objective includes attracting major American companies, expanding infrastructure, encouraging private-sector investment and creating employment opportunities capable of supporting long-term regional development.

He also pointed to forthcoming memorandums of understanding that could deepen cooperation between U.S. firms and local authorities, presenting investment as an essential component of reconstruction rather than merely an economic objective.

Rebuilding communities affected by years of conflict also remains high on the government’s agenda.

Al-Dakhil said discussions with the prime minister emphasized continued support for Christian and Ezidi communities, stabilization efforts in Sinjar, infrastructure improvements and compensation programs intended to facilitate the return of displaced residents.

Sinjari likewise highlighted the government’s focus on minority communities, describing initiatives aimed at strengthening constitutional protections while expanding development programs in Sinjar and the Nineveh Plains.

He said the prime minister has stressed that local communities should play leading roles in administering and securing their own areas, alongside broader plans that include serviced housing allocations and investment initiatives designed to encourage long-term recovery.

These priorities reinforce a recurring message emerging from Baghdad’s Washington visit: economic development, institutional reform and security are increasingly viewed as interconnected rather than separate policy objectives.

Background discussions surrounding the visit have similarly emphasized attracting foreign investment, expanding cooperation with American companies, diversifying Iraq’s economy beyond traditional revenue sources and establishing a post-coalition defense partnership focused on training, intelligence cooperation and institutional capacity-building.

Taylor’s assessment ultimately places those ambitions within a broader political framework.

The current moment, she argues, offers Iraq an uncommon opportunity to redefine its relationship with Washington. Yet favorable diplomacy alone will not determine the future of that partnership.

Whether today’s political goodwill evolves into a durable strategic relationship will depend on Baghdad’s ability to translate commitments on security reform, economic modernization and institutional strengthening into tangible results, both for its international partners and for Iraq’s own citizens.

Summary Victoria Taylor says Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi enters Washington with unusual political goodwill, but lasting U.S. backing will depend on reform. Iraqi officials say investment, security, reconstruction and stronger institutions are central to a broader strategic partnership with America.