Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi signs 48 economic agreements with United States

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi completed a visit to Washington that resulted in the signing of 48 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding with U.S. officials and private companies. The deals cover financial services, technology, energy and infrastructure, including projects to expand oil‑refining capacity, develop a domestic gas sector to reduce reliance on Iranian supplies, and integrate Iraqi banks into the international banking system. Meetings were held with U.S. secretaries of Defense, Treasury and Energy, members of Congress, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and corporations such as Chevron, ExxonMobil, Honeywell, Google and JPMorgan Chase.

The agreements are linked to a political condition that all armed factions in Iraq must be disarmed by 30 September, a deadline set by the United States. The partnership aims to diversify Iraq’s economy, attract more than $60 billion in investment, and strengthen security cooperation between the two nations.