US Envoy meets Al-Maliki despite PM candidacy opposition

2026-02-27 - 14:03

Shafaq News- Baghdad US Envoy Tom Barrack held a meeting with former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF)’s nominee for premier, two sources confirmed to Reuters on Friday. No details were made available regarding the location of the meeting or its content. Neither Barrack nor al-Maliki issued any statements following the encounter. The meeting comes amid ongoing US opposition to al-Maliki’s possible return to power. A State Department spokesperson previously informed Shafaq News that President Donald Trump’s position remains unchanged, cautioning that al-Maliki’s selection could prompt Washington to reevaluate its ties with Baghdad. Within the CF, Iraq's largest bloc, a senior official revealed to Shafaq News that the US-imposed deadline for withdrawing al-Maliki’s candidacy was due to expire on the evening of February 27. In remarks to Agence France-Presse (AFP), al-Maliki made clear he would not withdraw, asserting that any shift in position would have to originate from the political bloc that nominated him. Read more: Iraq’s next Prime Minister held hostage by US-Iran standoff