Iraqi PM, Saudi intelligence chief discuss regional security as militias delay response

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met Saudi general intelligence chief Khalid al-Humaidan ​on Friday to discuss coordination over regional ‌security developments, the prime minister's office said.

Zaidi said Iraq would not allow its territory to be used to ​launch attacks or activities targeting any other ​country. He reiterated Baghdad's commitment to protecting its ⁠sovereignty and preventing regional escalation.

The meeting came amid ​heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran-aligned Iraqi ​armed groups after Riyadh last month carried out strikes in Iraq with U.S. Central Command that it said targeted ​groups responsible for attacks on Saudi oil facilities, ​and warned this week of imminent attacks by Iraqi militias and ‌Yemen's ⁠Houthis.

Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups had vowed to respond to the Saudi strikes, but the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella term for ​those factions, said ​on Friday ⁠it had postponed a response planned for the day following an ​appeal by Hadi al-Amiri, one of Iraq's ​most ⁠powerful pro-Iranian figures, and positions taken by unnamed political leaders.

The group did not specify the ⁠nature ​of the planned response or ​identify its intended target.


-Reuters