Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has reportedly assured Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) during his inaugural visit to Riyadh that Iraqi territory will not serve as a staging ground for attacks against the kingdom. The assurances were officially broadcasted through the Iraqi News Agency (INA) following high-level closed-door meetings.

Al-Zaidi purportedly stated that his administration would strictly prohibit any hostile actions or military launches directed against regional countries from within Iraq's borders. A statement released by his office emphasized Baghdad's proclaimed commitment to good-neighborly principles and the preservation of state sovereignty across the region.

This diplomatic overture comes in the wake of severe geopolitical friction triggered last month when a major East-West Saudi oil pipeline was struck by drones amid Houthi offensive operations in Yemen. The sabotage forced Riyadh to temporarily halt the crucial export route, which serves as a vital bypass for the Strait of Hormuz. Although pipeline operations have since resumed, Saudi authorities previously insisted that the drone strikes originated from Iraqi soil—a conclusion that Baghdad's own internal investigation allegedly corroborated.

Despite these sweeping diplomatic promises, analysts remain deeply skeptical regarding the Iraqi regime's actual capability to enforce such directives, given the widespread presence of numerous heavily armed militant factions operating within the country, many of which are widely believed to maintain close ties with Tehran.

Source: www.aljazeera.com