Iraqi premier arrives in Washington for talks with Trump, expected to seal energy deals

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali ​al-Zaidi arrived in Washington on Monday ahead of talks with US officials, including President Donald Trump, in his first overseas visit since taking office in May, according to Iraqi media.

Zaidi is leading a government and economic delegation, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported, citing a statement from the prime minister's office.

Government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi earlier said talks will focus on strengthening bilateral ties, with oil and gas deals expected to be signed during the trip.

Iraq and the US are also expected to sign "memorandums of understanding in the oil and gas sectors, including agreements to bring in specialized US companies to increase production capacity and develop alternative export routes to reduce the impact of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz," Aboudi said.

The talks in Washington would also cover Iraq's ongoing efforts to place all weapons under exclusive state control, he added.