President Joe Biden is set to welcome Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for formal discussions on the mission of a U.S.-led military coalition established to combat the Islamic State group in Iraq. The meeting is scheduled for April 15, as announced by the White House on Friday.
The agenda for the meeting includes consultations on various issues, such as the ongoing fight against the Islamic State and Iraqi financial reforms aimed at fostering economic development and advancing Iraq's financial independence and modernization.
The relationship between the two countries is complex, partly due to Iran's significant influence in Iraq. Iran-backed groups played a role in bringing al-Sudani to power in October 2022.
In recent months, the U.S. has been urging Iraq to enhance efforts to prevent attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria, which have contributed to tensions in the region. Additionally, the U.S. has imposed financial restrictions on Iraq over concerns about its ties with Iran, including limiting Iraq's access to its own currency to combat alleged money laundering benefiting Iran and Syria.
Notably, the U.S. and Iraq initiated discussions in January regarding the potential conclusion of the coalition established to assist Iraq in combating the Islamic State. Currently, around 2,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq under an agreement with the Iraqi government, despite periodic calls from Iraqi officials for their withdrawal.
The upcoming meeting coincides with the one-year anniversary of the abduction of Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-American academic from Princeton University, who is believed to be held by the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq. Kataib Hezbollah is considered a terrorist group by the U.S. and is among the powerful armed factions in the country, formed with support from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Emma Tsurkov, the sister of Elizabeth, has urged the State Department to designate Iraq as a state sponsor of terrorism and has called on the White House to make the release of her sister a condition for the al-Sudani meeting. She emphasized that the prime minister has the authority to facilitate her sister's release.
Expressing her dismay, Tsurkov stated, 'I am appalled that Sudani will be allowed to shake President Biden's hand while his other hand holds the keys to my sister's shackles,' during an event outside the Iraqi Embassy in Washington.
