Iraqi PM in Riyadh pledges Iraq won't be used to attack Saudi Arabia

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi flew to Riyadh on 14-15 October 2026 for his first visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office in May, pledging to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that 'Iraq's firm position is not to allow its territory to be used as a launching pad for any attacks or actions that affect the security of the kingdom'. The meeting came weeks after Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline was struck by drones in an attack that, according to al-Zaidi's own office, originated in the south-eastern Iraqi province of Maysan. Baghdad fired the operations commander of Maysan and opened an investigation; no group has claimed responsibility, but Iraq hosts numerous Iran-backed armed factions, which officials privately suspect. The visit, part of a broader Saudi-Iraqi push for closer economic and security ties, unfolded against the backdrop of the 2026 Iran war now in its 230th day, with Houthi missiles reaching Riyadh and Aramco headquarters, and Trump threatening fresh steps against Tehran. For al-Zaidi, keeping Baghdad out of a direct US-Iran clash while reassuring Riyadh is one of the trickiest diplomatic acts of the year.