Key Points
- On Saturday, Iraqi PM Ali Faleh Al Zaidi had a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss bilateral relations.
- Both leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation, especially in the economic and investment areas.
- The two sides also held discussions on regional matters on various topics of tension reduction and strengthening security and stability in the region.
- Al Zaidi affirmed Iraq’s balanced relations with its neighbours and assured that Iraq would not use its territory to threaten their security.
- Iraqi Prime Minister established 30 September as the last day for the exit of coalition forces from Iraq.
- Macron reiterated France’s backing for Iraq’s economic reform programme and its anti-corruption efforts.
- The call was publicised in a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office.
Baghdad (Britain Today News) August 08, 2026 – Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al Zaidi held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, during which the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and explored avenues for deeper cooperation, particularly across the economic and investment sectors. According to the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, the two sides also addressed some regional issues of mutual concern, with the reduction of tensions and the enhancement of security and stability in the region placed at the top of the agenda.
- Key Points
- What Did Al Zaidi And Macron Discuss During The Call?
- Why Is Iraq’s Relationship With Neighbouring Countries A Key Talking Point?
- What Did Prime Minister Al Zaidi Say About Iraq’s Foreign Policy Stance?
- What Support Did President Macron Pledge To Iraq?
- How Does This Call Fit Into Wider Iraq-France Relations?
- What Role Does The Economic And Investment Sector Play In This Cooperation?
- What Has Been The Official Response From The Iraqi Government?
- What Happens Next In Iraq-France Relations?
- Why Does This Phone Call Matter For Regional Stability?
What Did Al Zaidi And Macron Discuss During The Call?
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office confirmed that the telephone conversation between Al Zaidi and Macron centred on strengthening the bilateral relationship between Baghdad and Paris, with both leaders identifying the economic and investment sectors as priority areas for expanded cooperation. Beyond the bilateral agenda, the two leaders turned their attention to developments across the wider region, discussing how best to ease tensions and support stability among Iraq’s neighbours.
According to the statement released by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, the conversation reflected.
“a shared interest in building on the existing partnership between Iraq and France, particularly at a time when regional security remains a pressing concern for both governments.”
The readout did not specify the exact duration of the call or whether further in-person meetings between the two leaders were scheduled.
Why Is Iraq’s Relationship With Neighbouring Countries A Key Talking Point?
A significant portion of the call, as relayed by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, focused on Iraq’s approach to its neighbours. The Media Office said that both sides.
“also addressed several regional issues of mutual concern, foremost among them efforts to reduce tensions and enhance security and stability in the region.”
This regional dimension comes against the backdrop of Iraq’s long-standing efforts to position itself as a stabilising actor in a volatile neighbourhood, balancing relations with both Gulf Arab states and Iran while maintaining ties with Western powers such as France and the United States.
What Did Prime Minister Al Zaidi Say About Iraq’s Foreign Policy Stance?
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office reported that Al Zaidi used the call to restate Baghdad’s foreign policy principles. The statement said that Al Zaidi.
“reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to building balanced relations with neighbouring countries and not allowing its territory to be used to threaten their security.”
This reaffirmation echoes a position that successive Iraqi governments have sought to maintain, namely that Iraq will not permit its soil to become a launchpad for hostilities against any of its neighbours, whether from state or non-state actors operating within its borders.
When Will Coalition Forces Complete Their Withdrawal From Iraq?
Among the most notable disclosures from the call was confirmation of a firm timeline for foreign troop withdrawal. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office stated that Al Zaidi.
“also noted that September 30 has been set as the final deadline for the withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq.”
The announcement provides a concrete date for a process that has been the subject of extensive negotiation between Baghdad and coalition partners in recent years. No further operational details, such as the number of troops or bases affected, were included in the readout of the call.
What Support Did President Macron Pledge To Iraq?
For his part, President Macron used the call to address Iraq’s domestic reform agenda. According to the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office,
“the French President affirmed his country’s support for Iraq’s efforts to combat corruption and implement economic reforms.”
The statement attributed to the Media Office added that Macron’s remarks were framed as an expression of continued French backing for Iraq’s institutional and economic modernisation drive, an area in which Paris has previously voiced interest in playing a supporting role.
How Does This Call Fit Into Wider Iraq-France Relations?
France has, in recent years, maintained an active diplomatic and economic presence in Iraq, engaging on issues ranging from security cooperation to investment in reconstruction and energy projects. Saturday’s telephone call, as described by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, appears consistent with this pattern, reinforcing the economic and investment dimension of the relationship while also touching on the security concerns that have long shaped Franco-Iraqi engagement.
The Media Office’s statement did not disclose whether the call was initiated by Baghdad or Paris, nor did it indicate whether any follow-up ministerial contacts were agreed during the discussion.
What Role Does The Economic And Investment Sector Play In This Cooperation?
The economic and investment dimension was singled out by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office as a particular focus of the call between Al Zaidi and Macron. While the statement offered no further breakdown of specific sectors or projects under discussion, the emphasis suggests that both governments view deeper commercial ties as a practical avenue for strengthening the broader relationship.
Iraq has, in recent years, sought greater foreign investment to support reconstruction, infrastructure development and diversification away from oil dependency, and France has previously been named among the countries Baghdad has looked to for partnership in these areas.
What Has Been The Official Response From The Iraqi Government?
The account of the call was made public exclusively through the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, which serves as the official channel for communications from the Prime Minister’s office. The Media Office’s statement laid out each element of the discussion in sequence, from bilateral cooperation to regional security, Iraq’s neighbourly relations, the coalition withdrawal deadline, and Macron’s pledge of support for anti-corruption and reform efforts.
No separate statement from the French Presidency, the Élysée Palace, had been issued at the time the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office released its readout of the call.
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What Happens Next In Iraq-France Relations?
With the 30 September deadline for coalition force withdrawal now confirmed by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office, attention is likely to turn to how Baghdad and its coalition partners manage the logistics of that process in the coming weeks. Similarly, the emphasis placed on economic and investment cooperation during the call suggests that further engagement between Iraqi and French officials, potentially at ministerial or working level, could follow in the near term.
For now, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office has not indicated a date for any subsequent call or meeting between Al Zaidi and Macron, leaving the specifics of implementation, both on the security and economic fronts, to be clarified in due course.
Why Does This Phone Call Matter For Regional Stability?
Taken together, the themes raised during the call- bilateral economic cooperation, regional tension reduction, Iraq’s non-interference pledge towards its neighbours, and the confirmed coalition withdrawal timeline- point to a broader effort by Baghdad to project itself as a stable and cooperative partner on the international stage. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office framed the conversation as consistent with Iraq’s ongoing efforts to manage a complex set of regional relationships while deepening ties with Western partners such as France.
As the September deadline approaches and reform efforts continue, the substance of Saturday’s call between Al Zaidi and Macron is likely to remain a reference point for how Baghdad positions its foreign policy in the months ahead.
