Washington (IraqiNews.com) – According to US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi’s White House meeting with President Donald Trump marks a watershed moment in Baghdad-Washington relations, with both sides shifting their focus to investment, trade, and economic growth.
Following the meeting, Barrack said on X that economic potential, rather than just security collaboration, will determine the future of the bilateral relationship.
He said that Iraq is ideally positioned in the Middle East to act as a regional center, linking the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Central Asia, the Balkans, and the Caucasus via new trade routes, transportation corridors, and energy infrastructure.
Barrack noted that more investment in Iraq will not only enhance the country’s economy but would also help to maintain regional stability while generating new possibilities for American enterprises.
His words matched the themes discussed during Trump’s meeting with Al-Zaidi, in which both leaders prioritized increasing US investment in Iraq’s oil, gas, power, and infrastructure sectors as the foundation of a larger strategic alliance.
The remarks are also consistent with Baghdad’s broader economic vision, which seeks to position Iraq as a regional gateway connecting the Gulf to Turkey and Europe via major infrastructure projects such as the Development Road, while attracting more international investment to diversify the economy and accelerate reconstruction.