Iraqi prime minister to visit Washington on Monday; oil and gas deals expected

Iraq's Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi will visit Washington on Monday to deepen strategic ​ties with the United States, with oil and gas ‌deals expected to be signed as part of a broader push for economic, trade and investment cooperation, Report informs via Reuters.

Iraq has been seeking to balance its ​ties with neighbouring Iran and the US as military escalation ​between the two rivals continues.

"The agreements to be ⁠signed will include several memorandums of understanding in the oil ​and gas sector as Iraq prepares to bring in various US ​companies that will provide momentum to increase oil production capacity," government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said.

Iraq's state news agency, citing al-Aboudi, said the planned oil ​and gas agreements would also seek to create alternative ​export outlets to reduce Iraq's exposure to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iraq, ‌like ⁠other Gulf oil producers, has suffered a drop in oil revenue due to the effective closure of the vital shipping route during the US-Iran war.

Al-Aboudi said strengthening Iraq's armed forces would also ​be among the ​issues discussed in ⁠Washington.