Shafaq News- Washington/ Baghdad

US President Donald Trump’s administration is closely assessing Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali Al-Zaidi, with Washington weighing the future of US-Iraq relations amid concerns over Iranian influence, armed factions, and regional stability, US Republican Party member Malek Francis told Shafaq News on Friday.

Francis said Washington does not currently view Al-Zaidi as an adversary, but acceptance of any new Iraqi government will depend on its ability to protect US interests, contain the influence of armed groups, preserve energy market stability, and limit Iranian expansion within Iraqi state institutions.

The United States, he explained, evaluates Iraqi leaders through the lens of interests, stability, and regional balances rather than political affiliations alone, adding that Al-Zaidi understands his government’s success depends on maintaining stable ties with Washington amid Iraq’s need for economic support, investment, and security cooperation.

At the same time, the Iraqi prime minister-designate faces pressure from political forces with close ties to Tehran, making balance the defining challenge of his premiership. Francis suggested that Al-Zaidi would likely pursue a strategy based on de-escalation and diplomatic openness while attempting to avoid direct confrontation with either Washington or influential regional powers, though the “real test” would emerge in sensitive files including the future of the US military presence in Iraq, control over armed factions, ties with Iran, and Baghdad’s position on escalating regional tensions.

Those issues, Francis warned, will determine whether relations between Baghdad and the Trump administration move toward cooperation or “mutual political pressure.”

Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework formally nominated Al-Zaidi for prime minister on April 27. Two days later, the US mission in Iraq welcomed the nomination and reaffirmed support for Iraq’s sovereignty, security, and economic stability, while Trump spoke with him by phone and invited him to visit Washington after forming a government, according to statements from both sides. The US president also expressed hope that the Iraqi prime minister-designate would form “a new government free from terrorism,” describing the moment as the beginning of a “prosperous new chapter” in US-Iraq relations.

Despite the supportive messages, Francis stressed that Washington has not given Al-Zaidi a “blank check” and is closely monitoring whether he can form a balanced government capable of preserving Iraq’s stability and preventing the country from sliding back into wider regional conflict.

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