ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Thursday warned of rising regional tensions amid faltering US-Iran nuclear talks and growing fears of military escalation, as he met with Arab ambassadors in Baghdad to call for restraint and support for Palestinian rights.
According to Sudani’s office, the premier “reiterated Iraq’s support for a fair and balanced approach to US-Iran negotiations that would lead to positive outcomes, stressing that escalation undermines prospects for resolution.” He also affirmed Iraq’s continued commitment to fostering agreements that enhance regional stability.
The US State Department on Wednesday warned its citizens against traveling to Iraq and ordered the evacuation of non-emergency staff from its embassy in Baghdad, citing safety concerns amid rising tensions with Iran. President Donald Trump later said the move was to protect personnel in a “potentially dangerous” Middle East.
Washington and Tehran have held five rounds of Oman-mediated negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018. On Thursday, the UN nuclear watchdog declared Iran in “non-compliance” with safeguard obligations - the first such resolution in 20 years.
Trump has repeatedly warned of possible military action if diplomacy fails. Meanwhile, fears are mounting that Israel could target Iran’s nuclear facilities, a scenario Washington is seeking to avoid. Iran’s defense minister on Wednesday threatened to strike American bases in the region if Tehran comes under attack.
In Thursday’s statement, Sudani “emphasized Iraq’s stance on the root causes of conflict in the region, especially the centrality of the Palestinian cause,” the statement said. He described “the [Israeli] aggression against Gaza as a source of escalating tensions and instability” and warned against efforts to draw the region into further violence.
Iraq’s push for neutrality and de-escalation is linked to its longstanding support for the Palestinian cause and its ties to Iran, which backs Iraqi militia groups involved in attacks on US and Israeli targets in the region. Ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis continue to drive strong political and public sentiment in Iraq, with the government repeatedly calling for an end to Israeli strikes.
Sudani also “called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and bring an end to the ongoing genocide, ceasefire violations, and repeated assaults on Lebanon.”
He “reaffirmed Iraq’s longstanding role as an integral part of the Arab world” and said the initiatives presented at the Baghdad Summit were aimed at strengthening Arab integration, development, and constructive partnership.
In May, Iraq hosted the Arab League Summit for the first time in more than a decade. The summit focused on the war in Gaza and other regional developments, including Syria’s future following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. During the event, Sudani pledged $20 million for reconstruction efforts in both Gaza and Lebanon.
According to Thursday’s statement, Arab ambassadors “commended the Iraqi government’s regional, Arab, and international positions.”
