An Unusual Election in Iraq Offers the U.S. an Unusual Opportunity

An Unusual Election in Iraq Offers the U.S. an Unusual Opportunity

Baghdad is turning away from Tehran. Can Washington capitalize on it?

Iraqi polling officials count ballots during the country's parliamentary election in Al-Muhandiseen district in eastern Baghdad on November 11. November 17, 2025, 3:14 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Americans who haven’t been following Iraq for the past decade might be surprised to learn that the country just conducted a reasonably free, fair, and peaceful election. On Nov. 11, nearly 7,750 candidates competed for 329 parliamentary seats in a contest that, by the troubled standards of the region, went remarkably smoothly. There was no major violence and relatively few allegations of fraud. Despite predictions of record-low participation, e