Zaidi calls for economic investment in Iraq as Salam urges Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon

Zaidi calls for economic investment in Iraq as Salam urges Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon The prime ministers of Iraq and Lebanon talked up wide-ranging governance reforms in their countries at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, but their remarks struck different tones as Baghdad cracked down on corruption and urged international economic investment, while Beirut grappled with Israeli occupation and bombardment. Iraq's Ali al-Zaidi, a relatively young and politically untested businessman, assumed power earlier this year, while Nawaf Salam, a former judge at the International Court of Justice and a former diplomat, assumed power last year. Both leaders were deemed friendly to Washington. Read more: Zaidi calls for economic investment in Iraq as Salam urges Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam address the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York City, on 25 September 2026 (Ryan Murphy, Leonardo Munoz/AFP)