Shafaq News- Washington

The United States “strongly supports” Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi’s vision for the country and his efforts to prevent attacks in and from Iraqi territory, a US State Department spokesperson told Shafaq News on Sunday.

“Iraq has embarked on a new direction under the leadership of Prime Minister Al-Zaidi in full partnership with the United States,” the spokesperson said, citing his July 14 White House meeting with President Donald Trump and a shared goal of securing a future “free from terrorism” alongside a “strong and mutually beneficial US-Iraq partnership.”

Read more: Trump ties Iraq partnership to “militia disarmament”

US backing for Al-Zaidi preceded his appointment. Following his April 30 nomination, Trump congratulated him, extended an invitation to Washington, and called for a “strong, vibrant, and highly productive new relationship” with Baghdad.

Bringing weapons under state control has since become a central policy of Al-Zaidi’s government. During his White House visit, the prime minister said that some armed factions had already surrendered their arms, an issue long raised by US officials seeking to prevent Iran-backed groups from carrying out attacks from Iraqi territory.

Read more: Iraq's September 30 weapons deadline leaves terms of disarmament unresolved

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington, D.C.