Iraq taps Krikor Der-Hagopian as first Armenian Christian ambassador to US
Baghdad’s pick of a US-educated Armenian Christian adviser as envoy to Washington underscores a bid to reset US-Iraq ties and broaden the country’s diplomatic profile.
Iraq has nominated Krikor Der-Hagopian, an Armenian Christian adviser to Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, as ambassador to Washington. Regional diplomats confirmed the nomination to Al-Monitor, describing it as part of a broader effort by Baghdad to recalibrate relations with the United States.
Der-Hagopian, a US-educated Iraqi official who has served in numerous roles, including as an adviser to former President Barham Saleh and to the last prime minister, Mohamed Shia al-Sudani, is awaiting formal consent from the Trump administration before taking up his post. If confirmed, the Armenian Christian would become Iraq’s first non-Shiite ambassador to Washington in decades.
The 49-year-old father of three, who earned a master's in international relations at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, is widely seen as a shoo-in. Well-placed sources familiar with Der-Hagopian say he has an established track record of maintaining smooth relations with successive US administrations. “He has been excellent in bilateral relations and worked with international companies,” one of the sources said. This aligns with efforts to refocus the United States’ fraught relationship with Iraq away from a purely security focus toward what is being billed as a “business first” agenda.
"Kudos to Zaidi for picking a Christian who is young and charismatic and can socialize more easily in Washington than some of his religiously conservative Shiite predecessors,” another of the sources noted.
Der-Hagopian will be replacing Iraq’s deputy foreign minister, Nizar al-Khairallah, who is the current Iraqi ambassador in Washington. In a related development, a seasoned State Department Middle East hand, Peter Shea, is expected to replace another State Department professional, Joshua Bailey, as interim head of mission in Baghdad until — and if — a permanent ambassador is named.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
