Iraq reassures Saudi Arabia after drone attack origin dispute over oil pipeline

Iraq's prime minister has told Saudi Arabia that Iraqi territory will not be used to launch attacks against the kingdom, after a drone strike last month on the East-West oil pipeline. The assurance was delivered during Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's visit to Riyadh, his first trip to Saudi Arabia since taking office in May. The visit comes amid a dispute over where the attack was launched from and follows Baghdad's own investigation into the incident.

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According to the Iraqi News Agency, al-Zaidi told Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used as a base for attacks against Saudi Arabia or other regional countries. His office said Iraq's position was to avoid any use of its land as a launching pad for actions affecting the security of the kingdom and neighbouring states. Saudi Arabia has said the drone attack on the pipeline originated in Iraq, while Baghdad says its investigation concluded the strikes were launched from Iraqi territory.

The pipeline was temporarily shut after the attack but has since resumed operations. Saudi Arabia has used the East-West route as an alternative export corridor to the Strait of Hormuz, making it a strategically important part of the kingdom's energy infrastructure. The line has a maximum capacity of seven million barrels per day, so any disruption can carry significance beyond the immediate incident.

The attack took place during the Houthis' lightning offensive in Yemen, adding to the wider regional security context. The exchange highlights the sensitivity of cross-border security between Iraq and Saudi Arabia at a time when both governments are trying to manage regional tensions. For Riyadh, the issue is not only the physical security of a major oil route but also the question of whether attacks on its infrastructure can be traced to territory controlled by a neighbouring state.

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For Baghdad, the matter touches on sovereignty and on its efforts to show that it is not permitting its land to be used for hostile operations. Al-Zaidi's visit is his first to the kingdom since becoming prime minister in May, which gives the meeting added diplomatic weight. The public assurances from Baghdad are likely intended to reduce friction after the pipeline strike and to signal that Iraq wants to prevent its territory from becoming a source of regional escalation.

The episode also underlines how energy infrastructure can become entangled in broader disputes over armed groups, border security and attribution. What remains unclear is who carried out the drone attack and whether the two governments will reach a shared account of how it was launched. It is also not clear what follow-up measures, if any, will be taken to prevent similar incidents.

For now, the key issue is whether the assurances given in Riyadh translate into practical steps on the ground and whether the pipeline remains secure.

#Iraq #SaudiArabia #EastWestoilpipeline #droneattack #regionalsecurity

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