The United States has made its position clear on Iraq’s government formation efforts, explicitly saying that it rejects foreign meddling in the process.
US Special Envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya said: “Iraq has made significant progress over the past three years, and we hope to see this progress continue in the coming months. At the same time, we are carefully watching the process of forming the new government.”
“Let it be clear that the United States will not accept or permit any outside interference in shaping the new Iraqi government,” he added in a post on the X platform.
He said that he will be visiting Iraq soon to meet with “key leaders.”
Iraqi political forces are in the process of forming a government following November 11 parliamentary elections that gave the Shiites a majority in the new legislature.
Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been tasked with the Shiite pro-Iran Coordination Framework with leading negotiations over the positions of president, parliament speaker and prime minister.
The government formation process in Iraq often teeters between Washington and Tehran’s influence, with Savaya’s message seemingly tipping the scale in the United States’ favor.
Head of the Center for Political Thinking in Iraq Dr. Ihssan Shmary told Asharq Al-Awsat that Savaya’s upcoming visit is the “clearest” indication of Washington’s “return to the scene” where he will implement President Donald Trump’s vision for Iraq.
The vision effectively calls for limiting Iran’s influence, he remarked. The envoy may not impose direct condition such as relinquishing ties with Tehran or the disarmament of militias, but he may want to preempt Iran’s attempts to shape alliances that may form the new government.
Moreover, the visit demonstrates that “the US has become the greatest player in the Iraqi political equation, not Iran, which is seeing its influence wane despite the new Iranian envoy currently working in secret in Iraq,” Shmary added.
Meanwhile, a US State Department delegation is also expected in Baghdad soon to convey American messages to the country’s political leaders, further reflecting Washington’s keenness on the government formation process.
