Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has assured Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Iraq will not allow its territory to be used to carry out attacks against Saudi Arabia, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Al-Zaidi arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday for his first visit to the kingdom since taking office in May. He also stated there that he would not permit attacks on other countries in the region to be launched from Iraqi soil.
The Iraqi Prime Minister's Office said in a statement: "Iraq's firm position is not to allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for any attack or action affecting the security of the Kingdom and the countries of the region, while always adhering to the principles of good neighborliness and respecting the sovereignty of Iraq as well as of brotherly and friendly nations."
Earlier last month, Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline was targeted by drones in an attack that Riyadh alleged originated from Iraq. The incident came amid a Houthi offensive in Yemen that forced Saudi Arabia to temporarily shut the export route, which Riyadh uses as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
The pipeline, with a maximum capacity of 7 million barrels per day, later resumed operations. Saudi Arabia maintains the drone attack originated from Iraq, while Baghdad conducted its own investigation and concluded that the strikes were launched from Iraqi territory.
