Rubio Warns Iraq Against Forming an Iran-Aligned Government

SadaNews - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iraq against forming an Iran-aligned government amid Washington's concerns about the expected return of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to office, after being nominated by the largest Shiite bloc in parliament.

In a phone call with current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Rubio expressed hope that the next government would work towards making Iraq "a force for stability, prosperity, and security in the Middle East," emphasizing the importance of any new government prioritizing Iraq's interests and maintaining a balance in its regional relations.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Vietor stated that Rubio stressed that "a government controlled by Iran will not be able to protect Iraq's interests, keep it out of regional conflicts, or strengthen a balanced partnership with the United States."

Washington views the formation of a government close to Tehran as a political gain for Iran, which is facing significant internal challenges since the outbreak of widespread protests in late December, as well as regional losses following escalations with Israel, attacks on its ally Hezbollah, and the fall of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

A political source in Iraq informed AFP that the United States has expressed a "negative view" towards previous governments led by Maliki, while American lawmakers confirmed in a message that the selection of the Prime Minister is an internal Iraqi matter, but Washington will take its positions and policies according to its strategic interests.

The United States maintains significant influence in Iraq, particularly through its oversight of oil export revenues deposited in the Federal Reserve in New York since 2003. Among its main demands is that Baghdad prevents the resurgence of armed factions supported by Iran, a point for which Sudani has gained Washington's trust since taking office in 2022.

Maliki assumed the premiership in 2006 with U.S. support and played a role in combating Al-Qaeda, but Washington later abandoned him, considering that his sectarian policies contributed to the rise of the Islamic State group.

The Iraqi parliament is preparing to hold a session on Tuesday to elect a president, which is largely a ceremonial position, though the elected president will appoint a prime minister within 15 days, likely to be Nouri al-Maliki if the political blocs finalize their choice.