Iraq Seeks Ties with Saudi Arabia, Syria Amid Crisis with Militias

Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is caught in a difficult position. He wants to rein in Iranian-backed militias, but the IRGC Quds Force head Esmail Qaani was in Iraq this week to pressure Baghdad not to disarm them.

The crisis began when the militias carried out attacks on Saudi Arabia, prompting a response from the US and Saudi Arabia.

Now, Iraq is trying to reach out to Syria and Saudi Arabia as it seeks a way out of the local crisis. A high-level Iraqi security delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, led by Abdul-Amir al-Shammari, director of the office of Iraq's commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The visit comes after drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities that Riyadh said originated from Iraq. Baghdad has denied these claims. Iraq is also seeking to strengthen its ties with Syria through judicial and legal cooperation.