Torn between two allies: How Europeans can reduce Iraqi dependence on Iran and the US
Europe should help the Kadhimi government undertake political and economic reform, increase its geopolitical autonomy, and take on a greater security role
Experts & Staff
Sajad Jiyad
ECFR Alumni · Visiting Fellow
Areas of expertise
Public Policy & Governance in Iraq
Languages
Arabic, English
Biography
Sajad Jiyad is a visiting fellow with the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Jiyad is an Iraqi political analyst based in Baghdad. He is the former Managing Director of the Al-Bayan Center, an Iraqi policy institute. Sajad’s main focus is on public policy and governance in Iraq and he also works on capacity building of public institutions and civil society organisations through conferences, workshops and training programs. Frequently published and cited in media as an expert commentator, Sajad is also partnered with a number of international organisations and think tanks to provide ground-level research on Iraq and solutions for development-related issues. Sajad’s educational background is in Economics and Politics, and Islamic Studies.
Time for a reset: Iraq’s new prime minister and the US-Iran rivalry
Iraq needs to reset its relations with both Tehran and Washington in a way that protects Iraqi sovereignty and allows the central government to reassert control over the security apparatus
Iraq, Iran, and the spectre of US sanctions
European governments must seek to dissuade the US from using Iraq as a new battlefield in its struggle with Iran.
Escalation nation: Iraq and the US-Iran rivalry
While Washington and Tehran appear eager to avoid a direct conflict with each other, the cycle of military aggression in Iraq could drag the country into deeper instability
Iraq’s unsustainable status quo
As the problems facing Iraq continue to mount, the window of opportunity for undertaking deep and lasting reforms is closing fast.
Iraq’s response to the challenge of the Islamic State
Following the Islamic State’s dramatic advances in Iraq the country’s future now hangs in the balance with the prospect of protracted sectarian conflict and break-up looming large
Publications
Torn between two allies: How Europeans can reduce Iraqi dependence on Iran and the US
Europe should help the Kadhimi government undertake political and economic reform, increase its geopolitical autonomy, and take on a greater security role
Articles
Time for a reset: Iraq’s new prime minister and the US-Iran rivalry
Iraq needs to reset its relations with both Tehran and Washington in a way that protects Iraqi sovereignty and allows the central government to reassert control over the security apparatus
Iraq, Iran, and the spectre of US sanctions
European governments must seek to dissuade the US from using Iraq as a new battlefield in its struggle with Iran.
Escalation nation: Iraq and the US-Iran rivalry
While Washington and Tehran appear eager to avoid a direct conflict with each other, the cycle of military aggression in Iraq could drag the country into deeper instability
Iraq’s unsustainable status quo
As the problems facing Iraq continue to mount, the window of opportunity for undertaking deep and lasting reforms is closing fast.
Iraq’s response to the challenge of the Islamic State
Following the Islamic State’s dramatic advances in Iraq the country’s future now hangs in the balance with the prospect of protracted sectarian conflict and break-up looming large
In the media
Three months into the job, the prime minister needs US assistance, but he also has to provide assurances about what Iraq is doing to address US concerns
Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi is trying to manage the relationship between the two sides, explains Sajad Jiyad
There was no transfer of knowledge […] society was dismembered and its informed layers had escaped. The embargo benefited the state and weakened the people.
Sajad Jiyad on how the brain drain and “lack of awareness” in society, combined with the terror under Saddam, affected at least two generations since 1990 in Iraq
Will elections by themselves address people’s concerns about Iraq’s political system? I don’t think so
Sajad Jiyad citing deep-rooted vested interests across Iraq’s political parties — and often backed by armed group
A lot of people want to see action. Can the government uphold justice?
Sajad Jiyad comments on Al-Hashimi's assassination and Iraqi government's pledge to hold a transparent investigation into the assassination.
It showed the prime minister the limits of his authority and that to deal with this will require a significant amount of effort
Sajad Jiyad comments on escalating tensions between the government and militia groups in Iraq.