Iraq Is Between Iran and a Hard Place

Kenneth M. Pollack· Aug 6, 2026 · 5:02 AM UTC ·1 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 6 views

#politics #middle east #iraq #iran #unitedstates #Ali al‑Zaidi #Donald Trump #Masoud Pezeshkian #Kenneth M. Pollack #United States #Iran #Iraq

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

Iraq is increasingly aligning with Iran, prompting concerns in the United States about losing influence. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi has met both President Donald Trump in Washington and President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran, highlighting the country’s diplomatic balancing act. The article frames Iraq’s situation as a limbo between American and Iranian interests amid broader regional tensions.

Key facts

▪Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.
▪Ali al‑Zaidi also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran.
▪The piece describes Iraq as caught in a limbo between the United States and Iran.
▪Author Kenneth M. Pollack is a former CIA Gulf analyst and policy expert.
▪The article links Iraq’s position to the wider U.S.–Iran stalemate.

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Original publisher	The Dispatch
Canonical URL	https://thedispatch.com/article/iraq-iran-us-military-oil/
Publication time	Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:02:00 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-08-06T05:10:23.622Z
Last seen	2026-08-06T05:10:23.622Z
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand

World Events Kenneth M. Pollack / August 6, 2026 Iraq Is Between Iran and a Hard Place As Iraq moves further into the Iranian orbit, the U.S. can’t afford to relinquish its residual clout in the country. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran. Illustration by Noah Hickey/The Dispatch (Photos by Mehmet Eser/Anadolu & Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images). Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran. Illustration by Noah Hickey/The Dispatch (Photos by Mehmet Eser/Anadolu & Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images). Audio Turn any article into a podcast.

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