Vice President Joe Biden called Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi this afternoon. The Vice President emphasized that continuing progress, under Dr. Abadi’s leadership, toward forming a new government has been critical to rallying international support for Iraq in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The Prime Minister-designate reviewed with the Vice President his ongoing efforts to form, as rapidly as possible, a government prepared to address the needs of all of Iraq’s communities once it takes office. They also discussed the ongoing cooperation between Iraq and the United States to address the security and humanitarian challenges confronting Iraq.