Iraq PM Zaidi visits Tehran as Baghdad balances US and Iran ties

Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi visited Tehran as Baghdad balanced ties with Washington and Tehran, while Iran dismissed claims he carried a US message. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (L) meets Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) in Tehran during Zaidi's first official visit to Iran since taking office. [Getty] Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran on Thursday as Baghdad sought to navigate mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Iranian sources telling The New Arab they do not believe he is carrying any significant US message despite speculation following his White House visit last week. Zaidi was welcomed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during an official ceremony in the Iranian capital, in his first visit to Iran since taking office. The trip comes nine days after Zaidi met US President Donald Trump in Washington, fuelling speculation that the Iraqi premier could be carrying messages between the two countries amid heightened regional tensions. However, an Iranian source familiar with the discussions told TNA there was no indication Zaidi had travelled to Tehran bearing an important message from the Trump administration. The source pointed to the gap between Zaidi's visits to Washington and Tehran, arguing that the timing did not suggest he was engaged in urgent shuttle diplomacy. "American messages through mediators have not stopped, but American aggression speaks louder than any diplomatic message," the source said. The visit instead highlights Iraq's difficult balancing act between Iran and the United States, both of which wield significant political, economic and security influence in the country. Iranian President Pezeshkian described Zaidi's visit as a potential turning point in relations between the neighbouring countries, saying Tehran wanted to deepen cooperation with Baghdad across several sectors. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during an official reception ceremony in Tehran on Thursday [Getty] Ali Mousavi Khalkhali, an Iranian analyst and former diplomat, told TNA that Iraq was attempting to maintain balanced relations with both Tehran and Washington rather than formally mediating between them. He said it was possible that Zaidi was carrying messages during his visits, but cautioned against interpreting the trip as a mediation effort. "Iraq is trying to preserve its equilibrium between Iran and the United States," Khalkhali said. Former Iranian ambassador Mohsen Pak Aein also played down suggestions that Baghdad had emerged as a central diplomatic channel between Washington and Tehran. He noted that the United States already had established avenues for communicating with Iran, including Qatar and other regional intermediaries. Pak Aein said regional security and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz were nevertheless likely to feature prominently in Zaidi's talks with Iranian officials. The visit comes amid growing strain in relations between Tehran and Baghdad. Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, recently criticised developments in Iraq, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later sought to distance the government from some of the remarks. Baghdad said Zaidi's talks in Tehran would focus on bilateral relations, trade, energy and regional security. US President Donald Trump greets Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House in Washington on 14 July, where the two leaders held talks on strengthening US investment in Iraq and regional security ahead of Zaidi's visit to Tehran [Getty] An Iraqi government source told The New Arab that the discussions would also address Baghdad's efforts to bring all weapons under state control, particularly those held by Iran-backed armed factions. The issue has become increasingly sensitive as the Iraqi government faces pressure to assert greater authority over armed groups operating outside formal state institutions. Attacks in Iraq's Kurdistan region are also expected to be raised during the talks, amid concern over renewed instability and the risk of Iraq becoming drawn further into regional confrontations. Zaidi is expected to hold further meetings with senior Iranian officials during the visit, including Pezeshkian, as Baghdad attempts to maintain close ties with Tehran without undermining its expanding relationship with Washington. Related Articles