Exclusive – US State Department: Nominating Maliki will force us to reassess our relationship with Iraq
Exclusive – US State Department: Nominating Maliki will force us to reassess our relationship with Iraq
2026-02-18
Shafaq News – Washington/ Mustafa Hashim
The US State Department confirmed on Wednesday that the United States’ position remains “firm and unwavering” regarding the nomination of State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki for the Iraqi premiership, hinting at harsh diplomatic measures if this option is pursued.
The American position came in an official response from the State Department to a question posed by a correspondent from Shafaq News Agency in Washington, in which he inquired whether there was a change in the traditional American “veto” against Maliki, and the extent to which the news was true about a “time limit” granted by the American administration to withdraw his candidacy from the race.
The State Department spokesman conveyed the current administration’s position to our correspondent, saying: “President Trump has spoken clearly; the selection of Nouri al-Maliki as the next prime minister of Iraq will force the U.S. government to reassess the relationship between the United States and Iraq.”
Regarding questions about the deadline and the change in position, the response implicitly indicated that the American standards had not changed, describing the selection of Maliki as “a negative outcome for the Iraqi people.”
The US State Department identified three key pillars of its current position:
First: The need to end the dominance of Iranian-backed militias over the Iraqi political scene, given the regional and international threat they pose.
Second: Working to reduce Iranian influence in the joints of the state.
Third: Seeking to build a strong economic and trade partnership with partners who share Washington’s goals.
The State Department concluded its response by emphasizing that the United States “is looking for partners who share these goals,” in a clear indication of continued reservations about Maliki assuming power again.
The “coordination framework,” which includes ruling Shiite political forces in Iraq, is witnessing a division over the nomination of Maliki for the next government, amid American warnings of the repercussions of his selection. This has prompted forces within the coalition to try to persuade him to withdraw in order to preserve the unity of the framework, while Maliki insists on his nomination and believes that reversing it should be done by an official decision from the coalition.
The escalating American pressure on Iraq comes as a translation of President Donald Trump’s explicit threats, which included criticism of the previous course taken by Maliki when he assumed the premiership for eight years.
shafaq.com
