Iraq says US warned of possible sanctions over al-Maliki nomination

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it had received a verbal message from the United States warning of possible sanctions on individuals and institutions if Nouri al-Maliki is nominated as prime minister.

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the message contained two main points. The first included a clear indication that sanctions could be imposed on certain individuals and entities. The second set out conditions related to the nature of close cooperation with Washington, particularly concerning the formation of any new government and its mechanisms of work.

The ministry said the message was received in Washington and warned that, should the largest parliamentary bloc insist on its current nominee, sanctions could follow.

In an immediate response, the media office of Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition, denied the claims in full. His media director, Hisham al-Rikabi, described the reports as a “malicious media campaign promoting the withdrawal of the nomination and the introduction of alternative names”.

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Writing on X on Tuesday, al-Rikabi said: “There is no basis for these reports. The Coordination Framework remains committed to its political positions, and attempts to create confusion will not succeed.”

The latest escalation follows earlier US warnings against including Iran-aligned factions in the new government. Washington has also opposed the nomination of al-Maliki, 75, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2014, a period that saw the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

US President Donald Trump has previously described al-Maliki as a “bad choice”, citing strained relations with Washington and his closeness to Tehran. He has also indicated that US assistance to Baghdad could be halted if al-Maliki returns to office.

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