Iraqi PM al-Zaydi concludes US visit with 48 agreements, Trump meeting

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaydi and a high-level delegation concluded a five-day visit to the United States held July 13–17, 2026, the Prime Minister's Press Office said. The trip focused on launching an economic partnership framework, expanding investment opportunities, revitalizing the domestic labor market and diversifying resources. Al-Zaydi held a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, where the two sides reached agreement on a comprehensive strategic economic partnership. He was also received by Trump's special envoy, Ambassador Tom Barrack. At the Pentagon, the talks covered security, intelligence cooperation and bilateral military relations, while separate meetings were held with the US Treasury Secretary, the head of the International Development Finance Corporation and World Bank President Ajay Banga. Al-Zaydi met with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch in meetings with both chambers of Congress. In Houston, he held talks with executives of Chevron, KBR, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Honeywell and Weatherford, and presided over the signing of 48 agreements and memorandums of cooperation between Iraqi public and private sector entities. During the visit, the Central Bank of Iraq and the US Treasury Department also reached an understanding on restoring correspondent banking channels for seven Iraqi banks, the Prime Minister's office said.