Like every Iraqi prime minister over the past two decades, Zaidi faces the difficult task of maintaining ties with both the United States and Iran.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attended the funeral procession of Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes, last week. Just days later, he was in Washington on Tuesday, shaking hands with Donald Trump as the US president praised the “tremendous chemistry” between them.
Zaidi’s visit took place as military tensions between the US and Iran, Iraq’s two key allies, continue to rise. Follow live updates related to US-Iran war here.
Friend or foe? Zaidi’s balance in focus amid US-Iran war
For years, the rivalry between Washington and Tehran has made Iraq a stage for proxy conflict, forcing one government after another to carefully manage relations with both sides.
Last week, Iraq’s holy cities, which are home to some of Shia Islam’s holiest shrines, witnessed huge funeral processions for Ali Khamenei, who died in a US-Israeli strike on Tehran in February.
As Khamenei’s coffin reached Najaf International Airport in Iraq, Zaidi and other senior government officials and religious leaders attended an official reception.
Only a few days later, he travelled to the US for talks with Trump, Iran’s long-time rival, who has repeatedly been the target of assassination threats and calls for revenge from Tehran, including during Khamenei’s funeral processions.