Iraq's al-Zaidi tells Saudi crown prince Iraqi territory will not be used for attacks, as talks follow pipeline strike investigation

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi assured Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to Riyadh that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks on Saudi Arabia or other regional countries, the Iraqi News Agency reported, citing al-Zaidi’s office.

The office said Baghdad’s firm position was to prevent Iraqi land from being used as a launching pad for actions affecting regional security, while upholding good-neighbourliness and sovereignty.

The talks follow a drone strike last month targeting Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline. Riyadh and a subsequent Iraqi investigation concluded that the attack originated from Iraqi territory. The strike occurred amid a Houthi offensive in Yemen and forced the temporary shutdown of the export route; operations later resumed. The pipeline has a capacity of seven million barrels per day.

No group claimed responsibility for the strike. Iraq hosts numerous armed groups backed by Iran. The Riyadh trip is al-Zaidi’s first visit to the kingdom since he assumed office in May.