Iraq Condemns US Strikes as Violation of Sovereignty
Iraq condemned the joint US and Saudi strikes on Iran-aligned militias on its soil as a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty, and its prime minister cancelled what would have been his first official visit to Saudi Arabia in protest. The strikes, part of the widening war with Iran, killed fighters from the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces. Baghdad demanded an explanation from Washington and Riyadh.
Iraq has long been caught between its two biggest partners — the United States, whose troops it hosts, and Iran, whose allied militias hold sway across much of the country. The strikes place its fragile government in an impossible position, pressed by Tehran to expel American forces and by Washington to rein in the militias. The cancelled Saudi visit signals how far the fallout is reaching into regional diplomacy. Watch whether Baghdad moves to curb the US military presence on its territory.