Al-Maliki meets US envoy to discuss ties, elections

BAGHDAD — Nouri al-Maliki, head of Iraq’s State of Law Coalition, met Thursday with Joshua Harris, the U.S. Embassy’s chargé d’affaires, for talks on bilateral relations, regional developments, and Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections.

The meeting was held at al-Maliki’s office in Baghdad, where both sides discussed efforts to strengthen cooperation between Iraq and the United States.

“Iraq is ready to establish cooperative and partnership relations with all countries of the world, including the United States, based on mutual respect and common interests,” al-Maliki said in a statement.

He emphasized the importance of holding national elections, saying the vote would “place the political process on the right track and meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people.”

Full statement from al-Maliki’s office:

Head of the State of Law Coalition, Mr. Nouri al-Maliki, Receives the U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires in Iraq

The head of the State of Law Coalition, Mr. Nouri al-Maliki, received today at his office the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Iraq, Mr. Joshua Harris, on the occasion of assuming his duties in Baghdad.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and encourage cooperation that serves the interests of both peoples. They also reviewed developments in regional and international affairs and efforts to continue working toward achieving stability in the region.

Mr. al-Maliki affirmed Iraq’s readiness to establish cooperative and partnership relations with all countries of the world, including the United States, based on mutual respect and common interests.

He also pointed to the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iraq, which he said would place the political process on the right track and meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

For his part, Mr. Joshua Harris expressed his hope to work on enhancing cooperation between Baghdad and Washington in a way that contributes to supporting security and stability in Iraq and the region.

Media Office of Mr. Nouri al-Maliki

September 11, 2025