Saudi Delegation Meets with Iraqi Officials to Enhance Security Cooperation

Iraq and Saudi Arabia have taken steps to strengthen their security ties in an effort to prevent militia activities from escalating into conflict between the two nations. A high-level Saudi security delegation met with Iraqi officials in Baghdad on Thursday to discuss strategies for enhancing border control and intelligence cooperation.

The meeting, which was attended by senior officials from Iraq's security and intelligence agencies, focused on improving security measures along their shared border and increasing the exchange of intelligence data. This comes after an Iraqi security delegation held meetings in Riyadh as part of diplomatic and defense dialogues between the two countries.

The discussions also addressed cross-border drone concerns, air defense, and intelligence collaboration. The meeting follows a joint US-Saudi airstrike targeting sites of Iran-linked militias in Iraq on July 29. Washington and Riyadh said the operation targeted Iran-backed terrorists' weapons and logistical facilities in response to a series of drone assaults on Saudi oil installations that they said originated in Iraqi territory.