Al-Sudani: We thwarted 29 attempts from Iraq to attack Israel and U.S. forces

SadaNews - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani revealed that his government thwarted 29 attempts to launch missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. forces in Iraq, noting that his government made contacts with Tehran to exercise restraint and avoid escalation with Israel.

In an interview with the Associated Press, he confirmed that he worked to keep his country neutral during the escalating military confrontations between Israel and Iran, pointing out that he used a mix of political and military pressure to prevent Iran-aligned armed factions from intervening in the conflict.

He added, "We know that Israel has had and continues to have a policy of expanding the conflict in the region. Therefore, we have been keen not to give any party a justification to target Iraq."

Al-Sudani also addressed the future of the security relationship with the United States, expressing his desire to transform the American presence into economic and investment partnerships covering oil, gas, and artificial intelligence, despite ongoing complications regarding the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and the legislation reorganizing it under the state’s umbrella, which is met with U.S. objections. The Iraqi parliament is discussing legislation that would solidify the relationship between the Iraqi army and the PMF, which has sparked objections from Washington.

The U.S. State Department stated last week in a statement that this legislation "will entrench Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty," but al-Sudani defended the new legislation presented in Parliament during the interview, saying it is "part of an effort to ensure state control over weapons." Al-Sudani explained that the presence of coalition forces has provided a "justification" for Iraqi groups to arm themselves, but once the coalition’s withdrawal is complete, "there will be no need or justification for any group to carry weapons outside the state's framework."

Regarding security challenges, al-Sudani talked about drone attacks targeting locations in Kurdistan, emphasizing that these are terrorist acts. He confirmed that the Iraqi government is working with the international coalition and the regional authorities to identify those responsible and hold them accountable. He also touched on his government’s efforts regarding the case of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who disappeared in Iraq in 2023, denying any negligence in following up on her.