Iraqi PM orders measures to prevent attacks against neighbors

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaydi has ordered new security measures to prevent attacks or threats against neighboring countries originating from Iraqi territory, according to a statement from his media office.

Al-Zaydi, who according to reports also serves as commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces (claim:3), chaired an emergency security meeting to discuss regional security developments. During the meeting, he ordered the formation of a joint security committee to address security challenges and develop deterrent mechanisms to prevent future violations or security breaches.

Al-Zaydi directed Iraq's security agencies to enforce the law, strengthen security and stability, and fulfill their responsibilities in protecting the country's sovereignty and maintaining good-neighborly relations. The meeting affirmed the readiness of Iraq's armed forces to thwart any attempt to target neighboring countries from within Iraqi territory.

The meeting reiterated Baghdad's commitment not to allow Iraq to be used as a launchpad or transit route for attacks against friendly and neighboring states, in line with the principles of sovereignty, good-neighborliness and international law.

Context of the emergency meeting

The emergency meeting came days after, according to reports, the US and Saudi Arabia carried out coordinated strikes on logistics sites and weapons depots belonging to Iran-backed groups in seven Iraqi provinces (claim:9). The US and Saudi Arabia said the strikes were a response to drone attacks targeting oil facilities and military bases in the region.

Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said the US-Saudi strikes killed 20 of its members and wounded 32 others. Baghdad reportedly condemned the strikes as a violation of Iraq's sovereignty (claim:12) and reportedly denied claims that Iraqi authorities had approved or coordinated the strikes (claim:13).

Iraqi officials have reportedly repeatedly stressed that the country will not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against neighboring states (claim:14). The statement was published on the Iraqi prime minister's account on the US-based X social media platform.