ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on Monday that good relations with the United States are “essential” for Iraq’s progress, while stressing Baghdad’s ties with Iran are based on shared interests, as tensions continue between Washington and Tehran.
“I believe that a relationship with the American side is essential for Iraq's progress,” Maliki told AFP, rejecting claims that his relations with the US were strained during his first two terms in office from 2006 to 2014.
Maliki said Iraq’s relationship with Iran “rest[s] on the principle that Iraq's sovereignty is respected” and that “shared interests define this relationship.”
His comments come as tensions continue between Tehran and Washington following a second round of indirect nuclear talks mediated by Oman on Tuesday. A third round is set to take place in Geneva on Thursday, according to Oman’s foreign minister. However, the US has meanwhile mobilized additional warships and fighter jets in the region, while Iran has conducted military drills and temporarily blocked parts of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.
Earlier in February, US President Donald Trump warned Iran of military action if a nuclear deal is not reached, citing “very traumatic” consequences. On Thursday, he set a 10- to 15-day deadline for Iran, saying it was “enough time” to reach a deal, and on Friday confirmed he was considering limited strikes.
Trump has also openly opposed Maliki’s political return.
In a late January post on Truth Social, he described the prospect of a third Maliki term as a “very bad choice,” citing “poverty and total chaos” during his previous tenure. He warned that if Maliki returns to office, “the United States of America will no longer help Iraq.”
Maliki said he has “absolutely no intention” to withdraw from his candidacy “out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will.”
“No one has the right to say whom we can or cannot vote for,” he said.
He also said that “all countries can be assured that we will prevent any violation against their embassies or officially recognised interests in Iraq,” adding, “We will not allow any party to target any country that maintains a diplomatic presence, such as embassies, in Iraq.”
Addressing long-standing US demands, Maliki said he supports a state monopoly on weapons and believes an agreement with armed factions is possible. “In fact, what America wants is not new. These are our demands. We want weapons in the hands of the state. We want a centralised military force. We have said it repeatedly: we want one army under one command, directly under state authority,” he said.
Washington has long accused Iran of undermining Iraqi sovereignty through political and military proxies, including by embedding loyalists within state institutions and using Iraq’s financial system to evade international sanctions. US officials have also described the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as a parallel military structure influencing Iraq’s security policy and have viewed Maliki as part of Iran’s network of influence in Iraq.
He added that reaching an understanding with pro-Iran armed factions is achievable. “It's quite possible,” Maliki said. “There is a good basis for understanding with the factions,” but this cannot happen “through force, war, or confrontations.”
Political maneuvering around Maliki’s candidacy has intensified in recent weeks.
In a post on X, Victoria Taylor, former US deputy assistant secretary of state for Iraq and Iran, said Sunday’s visit by Trump’s special envoy Tom Barrack to Iraq and his meeting with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani “clearly focused on providing the final nudge to end Maliki nomination.”
In January, Iraq’s Coordination Framework formally announced Maliki’s candidacy after Sudani withdrew his bid for a second term. In Iraq’s November parliamentary elections, Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition won 46 seats, while Maliki’s State of Law coalition secured 29 seats.
“If Maliki will not withdraw of his own volition, convincing Sudani to withdraw his support from Maliki is best way to get Maliki out,” Taylor said, adding that “Sudani may be waiting to see if he can secure support for his own candidacy for PM.”
Regarding his meeting with Sudani, Barrack said in a post on X that they discussed “continued Iraqi goals and objectives to build a sovereign, stable, and prosperous future that aligns with
@POTUS’s desire and plan for peace and prosperity in the region.”
Maliki served as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014, stepping down during his second term amid corruption allegations and worsening security crises linked to the rise of the Islamic State.