Iraqi diplomatic sources familiar with the matter told The New Arab about details of a series of meetings held by the new US chargé d'affaires in Baghdad, Stephen Fagen, with some senior Iraqi officials.
They said his moves during the first days of taking up his post carried multiple political, security and economic messages, foremost among them: Supporting the government of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi; resolving the issue of placing weapons under state control; completing arrangements to end the international coalition's mission in Iraq; US sanctions on Iran; combating corruption; and completing the formation of the cabinet.
The US Embassy in Baghdad announced last Wednesday, 2 September, the appointment of former US ambassador to Yemen Stephen Fagen as chargé d'affaires at the US mission in Iraq, succeeding Joshua Harris, who ended his duties last Monday.
The diplomatic sources said, "Fagen's decision to move quickly towards Iraqi presidencies and leaders reflects US interest in the period after 30 September, rather than being merely a protocol procedure related to the start of his new duties."
"Washington wants to know how capable the Iraqi government is of implementing the commitments it made regarding placing weapons under state control and ending any armed activity outside its institutions," the sources added.
Sanctions on Iran top the agenda
According to sources, Fagen's first meeting with Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein focused mainly on the next phase of Iraqi-US relations, as well as US sanctions on Iran and their repercussions for Iraq.
They said the US side stressed during the meeting that Washington "is closely monitoring" Iraqi financial and economic dealings with Tehran and does not want Iraqi territory or institutions to become a channel for circumventing US sanctions imposed on Iran.
The sources added that "the US message on this issue is clear: Iraq can maintain its relations with neighbouring countries, but it cannot enter into financial or economic arrangements that could be interpreted by the US as support for Tehran or as an attempt to circumvent sanctions."
They noted that this issue "will remain a permanent item on the agenda of communications between Baghdad and Washington during the next phase."
Weapons and ties with factions
Fagen's meeting with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, according to the sources, carried broader political and security dimensions.
Washington continues to view the Zaidi government positively and supports its stability but at the same time wants practical steps on several issues it considers essential to maintaining the partnership between the two countries.
The sources said that "the weapons issue was directly present in the discussions, particularly as the deadline for the end of the international coalition's mission in Iraq approaches."
They said Washington wants to see, alongside this, "tangible progress in the programme to place weapons under state control."
The same issue was also strongly present during Fagen's meeting with Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zidan.
The sources explained that "Washington wants the issue of placing weapons under state control to follow an institutional and legal process, rather than being merely a political understanding with some factions."
According to the sources, the importance of the meeting with the Supreme Judicial Council president is linked to the US administration's desire to learn about the legal mechanisms that the state could use to deal with any weapons or armed activity outside the framework of official institutions.
These messages, the sources argued, indicate that US interest is not limited to some factions announcing their readiness to hand over weapons.
It also extends to the nature of the legal and institutional framework the state will adopt to ensure its monopoly over decisions of war and peace.
Ending coalition mission, next security phase
Fagen's meetings in Baghdad also addressed, according to Iraqi diplomatic sources, the completion of the anticipated withdrawal of the international coalition from Iraq and the need to adhere to the timetables agreed between Baghdad and Washington.
The sources said Washington wants the transition from the international coalition's military mission to a new phase of security and advisory relations to take place without the withdrawal creating a security vacuum.
They stressed that the US side attaches importance to ensuring that Iraqi security institutions retain the ability to deal with challenges that may emerge after the coalition's military mission ends.
Combating corruption was also among the issues receiving US attention, according to the same sources, which said Washington wants to see broader and more serious measures to pursue financial and administrative corruption.
They explained that US interest is not limited to employees and lower-ranking officials but extends to "corruption networks and those involved in major cases, including people with political and financial influence."
The sources added that the message Fagen conveyed on this issue was the need for "real efforts to combat corruption, rather than selective or limited measures", given that corruption is directly linked to weak state institutions and threatens the economy, investment and political stability.
Cabinet and factional influence
Regarding the completion of the cabinet, the sources said the issue was present in discussions concerning the next phase of government.
They stressed that Washington wants state institutions to remain free from the influence of armed factions.
They added that "political participation must not become a cover for armed activity outside state institutions."
They noted that the US position "is not only about who announces that they will hand over their weapons but also about the nature of the relationship between political and armed activity and whether there is a genuine separation between the two."
The sources stressed that Washington wants key government and security positions to be subject to state institutions and their decisions, rather than to any armed group or political faction possessing an independent military force.
In this context, Iraqi parliament Foreign Relations Committee member Mukhtar Mahmoud told TNA, "Fagen has only recently taken up his duties, and it is natural for him to begin his meetings with Iraqi officials responsible for political, diplomatic and security issues, particularly since relations between Iraq and the United States involve many shared issues that require continued dialogue and direct coordination between the two sides."
"Completing the international coalition's withdrawal from Iraq is one of the most prominent issues currently on the table, particularly as the deadlines for ending the coalition's mission and moving to a new phase of cooperation and security relations between Baghdad and Washington approach," Mahmoud said.
He added that the next phase "requires a high level of coordination to ensure that what has been agreed is implemented smoothly and without affecting the security situation and internal stability."
He said the meetings also come as part of following up on the results of Zaidi's visit to Washington and the understandings and agreements reached between the two sides.
He explained that the importance of any official visit "lies not only in its political and media results, but in the ability to turn what has been agreed into practical steps and programmes for implementation on the ground."
Mahmoud further said that "Iraq and the United States are entering a new phase of relations that requires moving from the level of agreements and understandings to actual implementation, whether in the political, economic or security fields, in a way that serves shared interests while maintaining Iraq's sovereignty and national decision-making."
"The continuation of meetings between Iraqi and US officials is positive and important, and not every meeting should be interpreted as carrying political messages or pressure, particularly since there are many shared issues that require ongoing discussions and the nature of the current phase calls for greater coordination between the two countries," he added.
The parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee member stressed that "Iraq is keen to build a balanced relationship with the United States based on shared interests and mutual respect."
He said the next phase "will be a genuine test of the two sides' ability to implement what has been agreed, particularly on the issues discussed during the prime minister's visit to Washington, in a way that has a practical impact on cooperation between the two countries."
The US Embassy in Baghdad announced last Wednesday the appointment of former US ambassador to Yemen Stephen Fagen as chargé d'affaires at the US mission in Iraq.
The embassy said in a statement that Fagen previously served as US ambassador to Yemen and, before that, as chargé d'affaires and deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Baghdad, in addition to serving as consul general in Erbil.
It said he has extensive regional experience that could contribute to strengthening relations between the United States and Iraq.
Fagen held several positions at the US State Department, including director of the Office of Iranian Affairs at the State Department between 2015 and 2018.
He also served as deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Baghdad between 2020 and 2021 and worked at the US Consulate General in Erbil between 2018 and 2020, in addition to diplomatic assignments in Pakistan, Tbilisi and Cairo.
Fagen's assumption of leadership of the US mission in Baghdad as chargé d'affaires comes while the position of permanent US ambassador to Iraq has remained vacant since the end of 2024, with several diplomatic officials managing the mission during this period.
Elizabeth Trudeau and Daniel Rubinstein successively headed the US mission in Baghdad as chargé d'affaires before the US Embassy announced that Fagen would take over the role following the end of Joshua Harris' duties. Harris had formally assumed the role in September 2025.
In a message marking the end of his duties, Harris affirmed his country's continued support for Iraq's sovereignty and the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Baghdad and Washington.
Fagen therefore begins his new mission in Baghdad with previous experience in Iraqi and Iranian affairs, amid a phase in which security, weapons, relations with Iran, sanctions, combating corruption and the US military withdrawal intersect with efforts to reshape relations between Baghdad and Washington.
This makes his initial moves and contacts with Iraqi officials an important indicator of the priorities of the next phase.
Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here.