The United States has resumed cash shipments to Iraq after a delay, signalling its support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s administration, with the premier expected in Washington later this month, AFP reports citing a government spokesperson.

Earlier this year, Washington suspended cash transfers to Iraq as it piled pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-aligned armed groups, which launched hundreds of attacks on US facilities in Iraq during the Middle East war.

Government spokesperson Haidar al-Aboudi tells AFP that cash “shipments have resumed some time ago”.

“The resumption is a positive indicator” ahead of Zaidi’s visit to Washington, Aboudi says, adding, “We look at it through the lens of cooperation, coordination, and partnership.”

Aboudi says that Zaidi’s top priority in Washington would be “the economic partnership with the United States”.