Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani is heading to Washington, D.C., on a visit based on an invitation from U.S. President Joe Biden for a summit meeting scheduled for Monday, April 15, 2024. The two leaders will discuss the future of their relationship in the post-international coalition phase against ISIS and the best ways to transition to a comprehensive partnership between Iraq and the United States, in light of the Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries in political, economic, financial, cultural, educational, and security fields.
Political analyst and media professor Mujashar Al-Tamimi commented on the possibility of Prime Minister al-Sudani playing a role as a messenger between Iran and the U.S. He stated, "We must understand that al-Sudani's visit to Washington this month will address two specific issues: the activation of the Strategic Framework Agreement signed with the U.S. in 2008 and Iraq's request for economic support after providing guarantees to the U.S. regarding the fight against corruption and money laundering, as their spread has resulted in U.S. sanctions on 31 Iraqi banks and a branch of the Iranian Melli Bank in Iraq, which recently had its license revoked, all of which have been stopped from engaging in dollar transactions for international transfers."
He explained that "the likelihood of al-Sudani acting as a messenger between Tehran and Washington during his visit to the U.S. will depend on the developments in the crisis, and I believe that if the crisis escalates in the coming days, al-Sudani might be tasked with this issue since he knows that greater tension between Tehran and Washington will negatively affect Iraq."
Moreover, he added, "If the crisis escalates while the timing of the visit remains unchanged, al-Sudani will be prepared to play a role as a messenger and mediator between both parties, as the U.S. does not oppose him taking on both roles, given his strong relationships with both the U.S. and Iran. Tehran may need this more than Washington, especially since Iraq is considered its only outlet for accessing dollars."
Al-Tamimi emphasized that "Washington is aware that significant amounts of dollars enter Iran through smuggling, thus I believe that the Iraqi government has taken this role into consideration ahead of the visit, possibly through communications or meetings with the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad or during the visit itself."
In March, the White House announced that on April 15, President al-Sudani will be received at the White House, confirming that the leaders will reaffirm their commitment to the Strategic Framework Agreement and will work to deepen their shared vision for a safe, sovereign, prosperous Iraq fully integrated into the broader region.
It was noted that President Biden and Prime Minister al-Sudani will discuss a range of issues during the visit, including their mutual commitment to the lasting defeat of ISIS and the evolution of the military mission after nearly a decade since the successful formation of the global coalition to defeat ISIS. They will also discuss ongoing Iraqi financial reforms aimed at enhancing economic development and progress toward Iraq's energy independence.
