Mark Savaya, the newly appointed U.S. envoy to Iraq by President Donald Trump, issued his first official statement, affirming that “there is no place for armed groups operating outside the authority of the state.” He emphasized that Iraq’s stability and prosperity depend on unifying the security forces under a single government and the commander-in-chief, with one flag representing all Iraqis. He warned that the absence of such unity puts Iraq’s sovereignty and progress at risk.

The U.S. envoy added that the interests of the Iraqi people—and the broader region—rely on a fully sovereign Iraq, free from malign foreign interference, including from Iran and its proxies, and dedicated to serving its citizens and living peacefully with its neighbors.