Iraq Appoints Armenian Christian as First Ambassador to US
Iraq taps Krikor Der-Hagopian as first Armenian Ambassador to US
Iraq has nominated Krikor Der-Hagopian, an Armenian Christian adviser to Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, to serve as ambassador to Washington. Der-Hagopian, a U.S.-educated Iraqi official who has advised multiple Iraqi leaders including former President Barham Saleh, is awaiting formal confirmation from the Trump administration.
If confirmed, he would become Iraq's first non-Shiite ambassador to the United States in decades. Victoria Taylor, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for Iraq and Iran, praised the appointment as a signal that the prime minister selected "the most qualified member of his own team" with deep knowledge of Washington.
Der-Hagopian's appointment aligns with Iraq's effort to shift U.S. relations beyond security matters toward what officials are calling a "business first" agenda. He will replace former deputy foreign minister Nizar al-Khairallah.