The Trump administration has issued a formal warning to Iraq, demanding the swift release of Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov or face political and economic consequences, two senior Iraqi officials told the Qatari news outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Monday.
According to the officials, Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s envoy for hostage affairs, recently conveyed direct messages to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, making it clear that Baghdad bears full responsibility for securing Tsurkov’s release. One of the officials stated that Boehler "threatened a package of punitive U.S. measures against Iraq if Tsurkov is not freed soon."
Elizabeth Tsurkov's sister confronting Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani
Tsurkov, an Israeli academic and journalist, was abducted in Iraq in March 2023 ago by the Iran-backed Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, which has refused to engage in negotiations. Iraqi officials say the government, with support from Shiite political leaders, has renewed efforts to resolve the crisis, aiming to avoid U.S. sanctions.
A second Iraqi official confirmed that authorities are focusing their efforts on mediating with Kataib Hezbollah and other armed groups. "The government has been working on this issue for months, but the captors have not responded at all — and ransom is not their objective," the official said. "This makes resolving the situation significantly more difficult."
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Boehler spoke publicly about Tsurkov’s case in recent interviews with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya and Fox News, revealing that he had personally discussed the matter with the Iraqi prime minister. Al-Sudani reportedly acknowledged that Tsurkov may be held by Kataib Hezbollah. Boehler also recently visited Baghdad, where he was seen near the site of the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
Amid growing U.S. pressure, Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji stated last week that authorities were working to locate Tsurkov, who was kidnapped in March 2023. The only known footage of her captivity surfaced in November of that year. "We must work discreetly, through intermediaries," al-Araji said, while Iraqi officials expressed concerns that Washington could impose sanctions regardless of the case’s outcome.
On Saturday, two U.S. diplomats told the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that the Trump administration is preparing phased, wide-ranging sanctions against Iraqi government and political figures, as well as militia groups. Iraq, governed by the pro-Iranian Coordination Framework coalition, remains divided over its stance on U.S. policy toward Tehran.
The reported sanctions are part of Washington’s broader strategy to "apply maximum pressure on Iran and counter its influence" in Iraq. According to a U.S. diplomat, the sanctions are "not intended to destabilize Iraq’s political system, but rather to dismantle Iran’s network of interests within the country." He added that the measures could "help Iraqis demonstrate their ability to govern more independently."