▁officials ▁in ▁the ▁Ly nd on ▁B . ▁Johnson ▁administration ▁wel com ed ▁Ira q ' s ▁brief ▁return ▁to ▁civil ian ▁rule ▁under ▁B azz az ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Ar if ' s ▁th wart ing ▁of ▁R azz ak ' s ▁second ▁coup ▁attempt ▁on ▁June ▁ 3 0 . ▁Ar if ▁was ▁considered ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁forces ▁of ▁moder ation " ▁in ▁Ira q , ▁having ▁previously ▁established ▁a ▁friendship ▁with ▁U . S . ▁amb assador ▁Robert ▁Str ong ▁and ▁making ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁friendly ▁gest ures ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁between ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁and ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁At ▁Ar if ' s ▁request , ▁President ▁Johnson ▁met ▁five ▁Ira qi ▁gener als ▁and ▁Ira qi ▁amb assador ▁Nas ir ▁H ani ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁re iter ating ▁his ▁" des ire ▁to ▁build ▁an ▁ever ▁closer ▁relationship ▁between ▁[ the ] ▁two ▁govern ments ." ▁According ▁to ▁Johnson ' s ▁National ▁Security ▁Ad vis er , ▁W alt ▁Rost ow , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁National ▁Security ▁Council ▁even ▁cont empl ated ▁wel coming ▁Ar if ▁on ▁a ▁state ▁visit ▁to ▁Washington , ▁although ▁this ▁proposal ▁was ▁ultimately ▁rejected ▁due ▁to ▁concerns ▁about ▁the ▁stability ▁of ▁Ar if ' s ▁government . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Six - Day ▁War , ▁Ira qi ▁foreign ▁minister ▁Ad nan ▁P