Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has yet to visit Jordan, despite receiving an invitation in May, the delay is likely due to developments inside Iraq and the growing regional challenges affecting the Middle East.
اضافة اعلان
At the same time, reports have circulated suggesting that Al-Zaidi is considering resigning amid controversies surrounding corruption, efforts to place all weapons under state control, and mounting regional pressures.
While official government sources have dismissed these claims as baseless rumors, other political sources have insisted that they are credible.
All of this comes at a particularly sensitive moment. Iraq's anti-corruption campaign has intensified, while political forces dissatisfied with Al-Zaidi are believed to be seeking his removal because their interests have been threatened.
His critics argue that his anti-corruption campaign has been selective avoiding prominent Shiite political and economic figures while focusing primarily on Sunni political and business elites.
Whether these accusations are entirely or only partially accurate, they cannot be separated from Iraq's broader internal political rivalries.
The situation coincides with a severe liquidity crisis in Iraq, Many Iraqis have been unable to receive their salaries despite living in one of the Arab world's wealthiest countries.
Iraqi authorities attribute the shortage to disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz and reduced oil exports.
However, many Iraqis continue to question what happened to the hundreds of billions of dollars that previously flowed into state coffers and why the country now finds itself in such a financial predicament.
Political opponents have used this crisis to weaken Al-Zaidi, while also seeking to challenge Washington, which reportedly rejected alternative candidates for Iraq's premiership and instead welcomed Al-Zaidi.
During his visit to the United States, he met the U.S. president before returning to Baghdad after signing 48 agreements and security partnerships with Washington, reflecting a direction that differs from Iran's preferred course in Iraq.
All of this points to an increasingly fierce internal struggle. Iran remains a major player, alongside Iraqi armed groups aligned with Tehran.
These factions have previously launched attacks targeting Jordan and Saudi Arabia and continue efforts to weaken political forces seeking closer ties with the United States while reinforcing Iranian influence.
They also challenge the authority of the Iraqi government by resisting plans to place their weapons under state control before next month, suggesting that Iraq's internal crisis is deepening by the day.
These developments inevitably affect the broader Arab region. The Iranian-backed current remains influential, and Iraq's relations along its western borders with Jordan and Syria can now be described as quietly strained.
Evidence of this includes Syria's announcement that it had intercepted attempts to smuggle missiles and weapons from Iraq into Syria and onward to Lebanon.
It also includes Jordan's reported communication with Baghdad warning against any attacks on Jordan by Iraqi armed factions, accompanied by a clear message that Amman would respond militarily if any attempt were made to target the Kingdom.
Such warnings would not have been issued without credible military intelligence, particularly given developments in western Iraq near the Jordanian border.
Equally noteworthy is what colleague Salameh Al-Darawi highlighted in his column published yesterday in Al Ghad.
He pointed out that although the agreement to supply Jordan with 10,000 barrels of Iraqi oil per day at a discounted price was renewed late last year, Jordan has yet to receive any shipments under the deal.
He also noted Baghdad's decision to launch a new tender for an oil pipeline terminating at Syria's Baniyas Port instead of Jordan's Port of Aqaba, as previously agreed.
Combined with declining bilateral trade, exports, and imports, these economic indicators reflect a growing political strain.
Between Iraq's domestic challenges, regional developments, political, economic and security shifts, and border-related concerns, it is essential to recognize the importance of Jordan's relationship with Iraq not merely because of mutual interests, but because of the historical, geographical, and human ties that bind the two countries.
What matters now is the overall trajectory of the relationship: whether it is moving toward improvement or deterioration at a time when the region is undergoing profound transformation and its future is increasingly shaped by competing regional and international interests.
Jordan and Iraq should not allow a political crisis to emerge between them. Instead, every effort should be made to address and defuse these growing complexities.
