The U.S. State Department told Alhurra that the United States would reassess its relationship with Iraq if the country moved forward with nominating Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister.
The State Department’s comments came in response to questions about Washington’s position on the continued nomination of al-Maliki, the tools that could be used to pressure Iraq, and whether any diplomatic contacts or messages had recently been sent to Iraqi officials to convey the U.S. stance.
According to a State Department spokesperson speaking to Alhurra, selecting al-Maliki as prime minister would compel the U.S. government to reevaluate the relationship between the United States and Iraq and would have “negative” consequences for the Iraqi people.
The spokesperson explained that Washington’s priorities are clear, foremost among them “ending the dominance of Iran-backed militias over Iraqi politics and the threat they pose to the United States, Iraq, and the region.”
Washington’s priorities also include, according to the spokesperson, “curbing Iranian influence and strengthening a robust commercial relationship between Iraq and the United States and our shared regional partners.”
The spokesperson concluded by saying that the United States “seeks partners who share these goals.”
Efforts to nominate al-Maliki for a third term have become more complicated following the arrival of a new “U.S. threat message” in recent days, containing details about potential sanctions on Iraq should it ignore U.S. President Donald Trump’s veto of al-Maliki’s nomination.
An Iraqi government adviser, speaking to Alhurra on Monday, revealed that a U.S. warning message had been delivered to the Coordination Framework forces, in which Washington outlined the sectors that would be subject to U.S. sanctions if the nomination of al-Maliki proceeds.
The adviser, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said the U.S. side threatened to impose sanctions on the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), the Central Bank of Iraq, and security and diplomatic sectors, in addition to political figures and current and former officials.
According to the adviser, the potential economic sanctions could include Iraqi oil sales, as well as restricting the Iraqi government’s access to U.S. dollars or imposing sanctions on banks—meaning a near-complete halt to foreign trade and serious difficulties in securing public-sector salaries.
On Friday, Trump said the United States is closely monitoring the issue of nominating Nouri al-Maliki for the post of prime minister in Iraq.
Responding to a question about whether he still opposes al-Maliki’s nomination, Trump said: “We’re watching the situation regarding the prime minister. We’ll see what happens. We have some ideas about it, but in the end, everyone needs America.” Earlier this month, Trump warned that Washington would provide no assistance to Iraq if al-Maliki returned to power.
In addition to the publicly stated U.S. opposition, al-Maliki’s chances are diminishing amid growing rejection of his nomination from within the Shiite alliance itself.
A member of the Coordination Framework told Alhurra that opposition within the framework to al-Maliki’s nomination increased after receipt of the U.S. message and extended to factions within the State of Law Coalition, led by al-Maliki, as well as other forces inside the Coordination Framework.
At present, Nouri al-Maliki is the Coordination Framework’s nominee. The framework is an alliance of Iraqi Shiite political forces that won a majority in last November’s elections and is constitutionally entitled to nominate a prime minister.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
Ghassan Taqi
A journalist specializing in Iraqi affairs, he has worked with the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) since 2015. He previously spent several years with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as well as various Iraqi and Arab media outlets.
