Iran-backed bloc: US Envoy appointment to Iraq a “Normal Step"

Shafaq News – Baghdad (Update at 17:05)

On Monday, Iraq’s Coordination Framework (CF), the Shiite bloc leading the current government, affirmed that Mark Savaya’s appointment as US special envoy to Iraq is a “normal step” to advance joint issues between both countries.

US President Donald Trump appointed Savaya, an Iraqi Chaldean-born businessman, on Sunday, making him the third to formally hold the role after Paul Bremer and Brett McGurk—key figures in post-2003 reconstruction and the anti-ISIS effort.

CF member Imran al-Karkoushi told Shafaq News the bloc will wait for an official response from the Iraqi government and Foreign Ministry before issuing its formal stance, viewing the move as a sign of Washington’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.

Al-Karkoushi dismissed allegations of interference, asserting, “The appointment does not constitute meddling in Iraq’s internal affairs or the imposition of US guardianship.”

Describing the envoy’s mandate as technical and issue-specific, he emphasized that it facilitates coordination on shared concerns outside the usual diplomatic channels and poses no threat to Iraqi sovereignty.

Read more: Mark Savaya: Who is Trump’s third Special Envoy to Iraq?