Trump meets Iraqi Prime Minister al-Zaidi without Iraqi delegation — Asharq Al-Awsat
US President Donald Trump met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in New York on September 23. In a photograph released by the Iraqi government, the head of the Iraqi government attended the meeting without members of his delegation, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior officials were present on the American side.
As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, al-Zaidi’s office said that he discussed with Trump the joint efforts of Iraq and the United States to strengthen regional and international security and stability. At the same time, the Iraqi authorities did not explain the absence of other delegation members, including the foreign, finance and electricity ministers.
Plan for control over weapons
The meeting took place the day after Baghdad announced the postponement of the completion of a plan to establish a state monopoly on weapons until June 2027. Previously, the process had been planned for completion by the end of September. According to official statements, September 30 will not be a deadline but the start of a new phase that will last until June 2027.
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Iraqi observers suggested that al-Zaidi may have come to the talks alone because of US concerns about a possible leak of information to other delegation members who belong to the pro-Iranian Coordination Framework coalition. A politician close to the State Administration coalition told the publication that the meeting format reflects US concerns over delays in the process of establishing a state monopoly on weapons.
New timetable
According to the publication’s assessment, al-Zaidi was able to persuade the American side to grant additional time for implementing the plan, and the new deadline was supported by US special envoy to Iraq Tom Barrack. Independent Iraqi politician Salah al-Arbawi noted that it remains to be seen whether the timetable to be announced at the end of September will affect the political confrontation over the weapons of armed groups.
Rubio had previously warned Baghdad of the need to disarm armed groups in order to avoid Iraq’s fragmentation. He also expressed support for al-Zaidi’s government in its efforts to strengthen state authority and disband armed formations.
