Nuri al-Maliki, the prominent candidate for the Iraqi prime minister role, had a significant meeting with Tom Brack, a U.S. diplomat, in Baghdad. This meeting comes after Maliki's refusal to withdraw his candidacy despite warnings from the United States that they may cut support to Iraq if he returns to office. The Iraqi News Agency reported on the meeting, highlighting Maliki's reaffirmation to Brack of the need for the U.S. to respect Iraq's sovereignty and the will of its people.

Brack, who has served in various diplomatic capacities including as the U.S. envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, has visited Iraq multiple times lately to engage with high-ranking officials concerning the political situation. Recently, on January 24, the coordination framework announced Maliki's candidacy for prime minister based on the results of the parliamentary elections in November 2025. This has drawn attention and concern, especially from U.S. officials.

The historical relationship between Maliki, who has ties with Iran, and the U.S. underlines the complexities of Iraqi politics. U.S. President Donald Trump previously warned that support for Iraq could be at risk should Maliki assume the prime minister position again. Despite these tensions and the pressure from Washington, Maliki has made it clear he has no intentions of stepping down from his electoral bid, all while attempting to reassure the U.S. about maintaining stability and cooperation in Iraq.