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IRAQ PERSPECTIVE
SOMMET XI-TRUMP
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DOMINANT ANGLE
Baghdad reads the Beijing summit as an opportunity for regional de-escalation, even as the American-Iranian conflict starves its oil exports, undermines its public finances, and exposes its territory to external military pressures.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Baghdad, May 15, 2026. The Beijing summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping is followed with acute attention from Baghdad, where the repercussions of the American-Iranian conflict are keenly felt. Iraq, caught between its two main partners — Washington and Tehran — hopes that Sino-American talks will open a path toward de-escalation.
The oil question concentrates immediate concerns. A Chinese tanker carrying Iraqi crude seeks to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iraqi News, a symbol of the commercial paralysis that the conflict imposes on Iraq's economy. China is Iraq's largest petroleum buyer, and any blockade in the Gulf directly threatens state revenues, which depend on hydrocarbons for over 90 percent of its budget.
Baghdad's financial distress is such that the government has entered discussions with the International Monetary Fund for emergency assistance amid regional turbulence. It signals the fragility of an economy exposed to geopolitical shocks without adequate safety nets, even as Iraq struggles to meet its budget commitments.
The military dimension is equally troubling. Saudi fighter jets have struck militias in Iraq during the regional conflict, according to Iraqi News — a violation of Iraqi sovereignty illustrating how the territory has become a projection space for regional powers. Baghdad faces military pressures it does not control, in a context where pro-Iranian factions remain active on its soil.
On the macroeconomic level, U.S. wholesale prices surged 6.0 percent year-on-year in April, their highest level since 2022 — an inflationary shock rippling through Iraqi imports and amplifying pressure on an already-strained economy.
In this context, the Xi-Trump summit is viewed in Baghdad not as an abstract geopolitical confrontation, but as a negotiation whose conclusions could directly shape the future of the Strait of Hormuz and Iraqi oil flows. Any Sino-American accord reducing tensions around Iran would be welcomed in Baghdad as a lifeline for an economy under strain.
KEY POINTS
- A Chinese tanker carrying Iraqi crude seeks to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening petroleum revenues on which over 90 percent of Iraq's budget depends (Iraqi News)
- Iraq seeks emergency financial assistance from the IMF due to regional turbulence stemming from the American-Iranian conflict (Iraqi News)
- Saudi fighter jets have struck militias on Iraqi territory during the regional conflict, undermining Baghdad's sovereignty (Iraqi News)
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Economy-focused framing: Iraqi coverage emphasizes petroleum and budget impacts over the summit's diplomatic dimensions
Preference for regional stability: Iraqi media views any Sino-American accord primarily through its effects on the Iran conflict
Limited coverage of Chinese positions: Iraq's angle downplays Beijing's strategic interests to focus on immediate local effects
SOURCES (1)
Iraqi NewsCenter
MEDIUM
Chinese oil tanker carrying Iraqi crude attempts to pass Hormuz
Iraq seeks IMF financial assistance due to regional turmoil
Saudi fighter jets bombed militias in Iraq during regional conflict
US wholesale prices jump 6.0% year-on-year in April, highest since 2022
Strong US economy's resilience to shocks tested by Iran war
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