Iraq Announces Political and Economic Partnership With US Mid-Conflict

🤝 BAGHDAD — Iraq picks Washington over Tehran, publicly, mid-war. 📌 LOOK CLOSER: Baghdad hosting US forces while Iran fires on Bahrain has always been Iraq's central contradiction. Al-Zaidi formalizing alignment now — while Tehran absorbs five US strike waves — signals Najaf calculating Iran's leverage is degrading. For Washington, it legitimizes forward basing. For Iran, it's the regional realignment it most feared losing.