Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad visits Baghdad
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Afghan-born American diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad has made a notable visit to Baghdad, holding meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.
Khalilzad, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq from 2005 to 2007, played a pivotal role in shaping Iraq's post-invasion political landscape.
Khalilzad with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in Baghdad.
Before his ambassadorship, Khalilzad acted as Special Presidential Envoy and Ambassador-at-Large for Free Iraqis under President George W. Bush between 2002 and 2003. During this period, he was deeply involved in U.S. efforts to influence Iraq's transitional government.
Notably, some sources claim Khalilzad was instrumental in persuading Iraq's parliament to end former Prime Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari's tenure.
In a revealing report from 2014 by VOX Media, it was alleged that Khalilzad sought the CIA's assistance in selecting a successor, with the agency recommending Nouri Al-Maliki, who would go on to serve as Iraq's Prime Minister for eight years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraqi News
5 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Iran says to submit own nuclear proposal to US soon
Tehran – Iran said Monday it will soon present a counter-proposal on a nuclear deal with the United States, after it had described Washington's offer as containing 'ambiguities'. Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear accord to replace the deal with major powers that US President Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. The longtime foes have been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran's uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a 'non-negotiable' right and Washington describing it as a 'red line'. On May 31, after the fifth round talks, Iran said it had received 'elements' of a US proposal, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying later the text contained 'ambiguities'. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei criticised the US proposal as 'lacking elements' reflective of the previous rounds of negotiations, without providing further details. 'We will soon submit our own proposed plan to the other side through (mediator) Oman once it is finalised,' Baqaei told a weekly press briefing. 'It is a proposal that is reasonable, logical, and balanced, and we strongly recommend that the American side value this opportunity.' Iran's parliament speaker has said the US proposal failed to include the lifting of sanctions — a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years. – 'Strategic mistake' – Trump, who has revived his 'maximum pressure' campaign of sanctions on Iran since taking office in January, has repeatedly said it will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal. On Wednesday, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US offer was '100 percent against' notions of independence and self-reliance. He insisted that uranium enrichment was 'key' to Iran's nuclear programme and that the US 'cannot have a say' on the issue. Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close though still short of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead. Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes The United Nations nuclear watchdog will convene a Board of Governors meeting from June 9-13 in Vienna to discuss Iran's nuclear activities. The meeting comes after the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report criticising 'less than satisfactory' cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites. Iran has criticised the IAEA report as unbalanced, saying it relied on 'forged documents' provided by its arch foe Israel. Britain, France and Germany, the three European countries who were party to the 2015 deal, are currently weighing whether to trigger the sanctions 'snapback' mechanism in the accord. The mechanism would reinstate UN sanctions in response to Iranian non-compliance — an option that expires in October. On Friday, Araghchi warned European powers against backing a draft resolution at the IAEA accusing Tehran of non-compliance, calling it a 'strategic mistake'. On Monday, Baqaei said Iran has 'prepared and formulated a series of steps and measures' if the resolution passed. 'Without a doubt, the response to confrontation will not be more cooperation,' he added.
Shafaq News
5 hours ago
- Shafaq News
UN Ocean Conference: Iraqi President urges global climate, water action
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid called for urgent global action on climate and water security during his speech at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held June 9–13 in Nice, France. Rashid arrived in France on Sunday with First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, Deputy Prime Minister Fuad Hussein, and senior officials for the summit, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. At the high-level session, Rashid warned that Iraq faces a 'severe and growing water crisis ' fueled by climate change and poor cross-border water management, blaming shrinking flows from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for decimating agriculture and triggering internal displacement. He reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to multilateral efforts against climate threats, stressing that worsening water shortages are deepening food insecurity and economic hardship nationwide. رئيس الجمهورية @LJRashid: إن محيطاتنا وبحارنا تمثل القلب النابض لكوكب الأرض ورئته التي لا غنى عنها؛ فهي تُنتج أكثر من نصف الأوكسجين الذي نتنفسه، وتحتضن معظم التنوع البيولوجي على سطح الأرض، وتسهم بدور جوهري في تنظيم المناخ العالمي. — رئاسة جمهورية العراق (@IraqiPresidency) June 9, 2025 Framing ocean degradation as a security challenge, Rashid urged an integrated global response. 'Oceans and seas are more than natural wonders; they are complex ecosystems that stabilize our climate, support food security, generate livelihoods, and regulate the Earth's water cycle.' The Iraqi President outlined key priorities: increasing sustainable ocean investment, restoring marine ecosystems, expanding hydrological and oceanic mapping, closing legal loopholes in high seas governance, and securing fair water-sharing deals. He also pressed for implementation of the High Seas Treaty and the inclusion of water and climate strategies in national development plans—especially in vulnerable nations. 'Together, let us unite with purpose and determination to protect our oceans and secure a sustainable, equitable future for all who depend on them.'
Shafaq News
5 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Al-Anbar's energy boost: Iraqi PM fast-tracks Akkas Gas Project
Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered, on Monday, the immediate acceleration of the Akkas gas field to power al-Anbar's 1,600-megawatt station, pledging federal backing to upgrade the province's energy sector and close service gaps. The directive followed an unannounced visit to al-Anbar, where al-Sudani met tribal leaders at the guesthouse of Sheikh Hamid Turki al-Shawkah, head of the Tribal Sheikhs Council and chief of the Al-Bu Dhiyab tribe. According to the PM's media office, he described al-Anbar as rich in potential, confirming funding for stalled and new projects. 'Gas investment in Anbar [al-Anbar] is among the government's top priorities,' he remarked, confirming orders to expedite the Akkas project. He also referenced broader reforms, including the Development Road project and initiatives to address water scarcity. However, the visit drew criticism from within al-Anbar. A source in the provincial council, speaking anonymously, told Shafaq News that the trip bypassed local protocols and excluded official coordination. 'There was no provincial flag. It wasn't treated as a formal visit.' The source also flagged al-Sudani's meetings with Hamid al-Hayis and Arkan Altarmoz, outspoken critics of the local administration, as a possible move to reshape the province's political landscape and marginalize the elected council.
