The Prime Minister of Iraq, Ali al Zaidi, will undertake his first official visit abroad this Monday since taking office on May 16, with an agenda focused on strengthening the strategic relationship with the United States at a time marked by increasing tensions between Washington and Iran and growing uncertainty about energy security in the Middle East.

The trip, confirmed by the spokesman for the Iraqi Government, Haider al Aboudi, includes meetings in Washington with Donald Trump, as well as meetings with officials from economic and financial institutions and representatives of the private sector to expand bilateral cooperation.

“The prime minister will lead a delegation to Washington,” reported Al Aboudi, who assured that the meetings with Trump and heads of economic organizations “will energize the dialogue” between both countries and “will translate into a higher level of cooperation on the ground.”

One of the main objectives of the trip, according to the official announcement, will be to promote economic and energy cooperation. According to the Iraqi Government, both nations plan to sign memorandums of understanding related to the oil and gas sectors, in addition to promoting the arrival of specialized American companies to increase Iraq's energy production capacity.

Al Aboudi pointed out that these agreements will also seek to “find solutions to mitigate the impact of the Strait of Hormuz,” one of the most important maritime routes for global hydrocarbon trade and which has gained prominence after the escalation of military tensions in the region.

Iraq, OPEC's second-largest oil producer, relies heavily on its crude exports to sustain its economy, so any disruption to transit through the Strait of Hormuz represents a significant risk to its revenues and the international energy market.

Al Zaidi's trip also seeks to consolidate the relationship with the United States after the change of government in Baghdad. The Iraqi spokesperson stated that the visit is part of the new Executive's program to "strengthen relations with Washington" and expand economic and investment cooperation.

In recent years, Baghdad has tried to maintain a delicate diplomatic balance between its ties with the United States and its close economic, political and religious relationship with Iran, avoiding becoming trapped in the rivalry between the two powers.