On July 26, US President will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-kadhimi at the White House, informed the White House on Friday.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki notified that the visit will highlight the strategic partnership between the two countries and advance bilateral cooperation under a 2008 agreement that governed the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
Psaki further mentioned areas of shared interest namely energy and health. He also put forward that the US President is aiming in strengthening cooperation with Iraq on ‘security issues to include joint efforts to ensure the enduring defeat’ of the Islamic State militant group.
However, Psaki did not put any reference to Iran, that exercises influence in neighboring Iraq by its close relations with the Baghdad government and by backing Shi’ite militia forces which mount attacks on military facilities hosting US forces.
Three militia sources along with two Iraqi security sources who are familiar with the gathering revealed that a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander asked Iraqi Shi’ite militias to step up attack on US targets during a meeting in Baghdad past week, as cited by The Indian Express.
The meeting comes amidst frequent attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria. As far as reports are concerned, nearly eight drone attacks targeting the US presence took place since Joe Biden took office in January. There were also 17 rocket attacks.