Saudi intelligence chief meets Iraqi prime minister in Baghdad amid tensions after deadly strikes

Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief, Khalid bin Ali Al Humaidan, has met Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Baghdad in an effort to ease tensions between the two governments. The meeting came after weeks of strain following deadly cross-border strikes on Iraq. During the talks, Al Humaidan renewed an invitation for al-Zaidi to visit Riyadh.

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According to the Iraqi prime minister's office, the meeting took place on Friday and focused on how Baghdad and Riyadh can improve coordination on security issues as regional tensions continue. Al-Zaidi had previously cancelled an earlier trip to Saudi Arabia after the July 29 strikes. Those attacks killed 20 fighters from Iraqi armed groups, including five Iranians, and triggered a sharp diplomatic fallout.

Al-Zaidi reiterated Iraq's position that its territory must not be used as a launchpad for attacks on other countries. He also said Baghdad remained determined to protect its sovereignty. The Saudi side had justified the strikes as retaliation for drone attacks on its oil infrastructure, which it blamed on the same pro-Iranian Iraqi armed groups.

Iraq's National Security Council rejected that explanation and described the operation as a breach of national sovereignty. The meeting matters because it comes at a time when Iraq is trying to prevent its territory from becoming a wider arena for regional confrontation. Baghdad has been under pressure to manage armed groups that operate outside full state control while also maintaining relations with both Washington and Tehran.

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The latest talks suggest both sides are still seeking a diplomatic channel despite the recent violence. The row also reflects the broader challenge facing Iraqi leaders as they try to balance security, sovereignty and regional alliances. Al-Zaidi, who took office earlier this year with Washington's backing, has pledged to bring armed groups under state control and set a September 30 deadline for them to disarm.

That effort has faced opposition from powerful factions, including Iran-aligned groups that have clashed rhetorically with Riyadh in recent weeks. In the days after the July 29 strikes, Iraqi authorities quietly tightened security across the country and along its borders to reduce the risk of retaliation. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-aligned network of armed groups, had threatened to respond but later said it was postponing a retaliatory strike.

It said the decision followed lobbying from Hadi al-Amiri and pressure from other political figures, although it did not say what it had been preparing to target. What remains unclear is whether the renewed invitation to Riyadh will lead to a visit by al-Zaidi or to any concrete security coordination between the two countries. It is also not known whether the armed groups involved will continue to hold back from retaliation.

#Iraq #SaudiArabia #Baghdad #diplomacy #security

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