Nearly one week after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani received a phone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the PM spoke on Monday with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
The joint statement issued by the Iraqi government following Rubio's call was inconsistent with the one issued by the US side, especially regarding Iran's “malicious” activities, raising questions about Washington's policy toward Baghdad.
But on Monday, the phone call between Waltz and the Iraqi PM revealed a different approach towards Iraq.
Waltz said the pressure on Iran would escalate if it continued to develop its nuclear capabilities and support terrorism in the region, including Iraq.
In a post on his X account, the US national security advisor expressed his concerns regarding the recent flooding in Baghdad and emphasized the importance of moving towards a win-win relationship based on mutual security interests and enhanced trade.
Waltz noted that the decision to not renew the waiver of sanctions on Iranian electricity exports was consistent with Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy on Iran, and that pressure on Tehran would increase if it continued to develop a nuclear weapons capability and support terrorism across the region.
Waltz welcomed the Iraqi Prime Minister’s efforts to achieve energy independence for Iraq, and encouraged the Baghdad government to welcome more western and US energy companies into Iraq’s oil and gas sectors.
The national security advisor urged the Iraqi government to work with the Kurdistan Regional Government to address remaining contract disputes and pay arrears owed to US energy companies, and also requested that the Iraqi government retain an investment coordinator to work with US companies seeking to invest and operate in Iraq.
Waltz also thanked the Prime Minister for his commitment to the bilateral US-Iraqi relationship, and emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to deepening energy and economic ties between the two countries to benefit both the American and Iraqi peoples.
A statement from the Iraqi PM’s media office said the two sides stressed the firm US support for Iraq's security and stability.
Al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's commitment to expanding economic relations with the United States, encouraging American companies to invest in Iraq's growing market, the statement said.
It added that Waltz encouraged Iraq to engage more with American companies and work to resolve obstacles facing US businesses operating in the country, including in the Kurdistan Region.
“Both sides also emphasized joint efforts to build a strong Iraq capable of self-reliance. The discussions covered resolving outstanding issues and the role of American companies in supporting Iraq's economic development,” the Iraqi PM office said.
It added that the United States reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Iraq's energy independence and expressed readiness to cooperate in accelerating progress toward this goal.
On security matters, Waltz reiterated the unwavering US commitment to Iraq's security and stability amid regional and international challenges. He also underscored the importance of continued cooperation to safeguard Iraq's sovereignty and long-term stability, especially given the current regional conditions, the statement said.
Waltz also noted that the decision to end the waiver for Iranian-supplied electricity aligns with the maximum pressure policy, emphasizing the need for bilateral coordination to mitigate any potential impact on Iraq's stability.
The call reaffirmed the strong partnership between Iraq and the US, with both sides expressing a shared vision for a secure, prosperous, and sovereign Iraq.
On Saturday, Washington declined to renew a waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from Iran without running afoul of sanctions. The decision means that the Iraqi government will be unable to continue to import gas from Iran for its power plants.
The US Department of State said on Sunday the decision came as part of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure campaign” on Iran.
Iraq was granted waivers in 2018, when Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran after Trump abandoned a nuclear deal with Iran negotiated under US President Barack Obama.
After returning to the White House for a second term as US president in January, Trump has reinstated his policy of exerting “maximum pressure” against Iran.
“On March 8, the US State Department did not renew the waiver granted to Iraq to purchase Iranian electricity,” a spokesperson for the US embassy in Baghdad told AFP, noting that this “ensures that Iran will not be allowed any degree of economic or financial relief.”
The spokesperson called on the Iraqi government to “eliminate its dependence on Iranian energy sources as soon as possible.”
The Baghdad government, which hopes to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2028, said it had prepared "for all scenarios" regarding the waiver.
