Just days after concluding his first official visit to the United States, Iraq's newly appointed Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has arrived in Iran for another high-stakes diplomatic stop. His first foreign visits since taking office in May have taken him to Washington and Tehran, reflecting Baghdad's enduring challenge of maintaining relations with two countries currently engaged in a war without being caught in their rivalry.

In Washington, al-Zaidi struck a good rapport with US President Donald Trump, who called him "a fantastic champion" and announced dozens of deals and partnerships with US companies, including the rehabilitation of a dormant Iraq-Syria oil pipeline. Al-Zaidi spoke of moving Iraq's relationship with the US from security-based to economic collaboration, signaling ambitions to deepen trust.

However, Iraq remains heavily reliant on Iran for natural gas and electricity, with bilateral trade exceeding $12 billion annually. Millions of Iranian Shia pilgrims visit holy sites in Iraq each year, and Tehran has cultivated close ties with influential Shia parties and armed groups that form the backbone of Iraq's security forces, giving it significant leverage inside Baghdad.

One of the most difficult tests for al-Zaidi's government is managing relations with these Tehran-linked armed groups while preserving internal stability. The US has pressured Iraq to tighten control over these groups, but they are an integral part of Iraq's security apparatus.

In Tehran, discussions are expected to focus on the future of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in northern Iraq, which Tehran views as a security threat and has repeatedly targeted with airstrikes. Iran demands that Baghdad prevent these groups from using Iraqi territory.

Analysts say al-Zaidi's visits are unlikely to produce dramatic foreign policy shifts. Iraq cannot afford to choose between Washington and Tehran, and its stability depends on maintaining constructive relations with both. The larger question is whether Iraq's new leadership can gradually redefine that balance and assert greater independence.

Source: www.aljazeera.com