Mohammed bin Salman and Al-Zaidi: Transition to a "Broader Partnership"

Riyadh (Agencies): Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi visited the Saudi capital Riyadh yesterday to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discuss security developments in the region and ways to advance Iraqi-Saudi relations toward a broader partnership. Al-Zaidi’s visit to the Kingdom follows the cancellation of a previous trip to Riyadh last July amid escalating security tensions. Iraqi and Saudi sources stated that Al-Zaidi’s talks in Riyadh would address regional security developments, as Baghdad seeks to reaffirm its rejection of allowing its territory to be used as a launching pad for attacks on Gulf states or other neighboring countries.

Al-Zaidi had previously affirmed, during his meeting with Saudi General Intelligence Presidency head Khaled bin Ali Al-Humaidan in Baghdad in August, Iraq’s commitment to not allowing its land to be used as a platform for attacks on any country, while emphasizing the importance of enhancing security cooperation, coordination, and intelligence sharing, according to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office.

Beyond security files, economic cooperation stands out as one of the proposed avenues to strengthen ties between the two countries, particularly in trade, transport, investment, and regional connectivity. In an op-ed published by the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday, Al-Zaidi called for advancing Iraqi-Saudi relations toward a broader partnership and joint planning. He highlighted the importance of the Development Road project and trade and transport links with Gulf states in expanding Iraq’s economic role. He also linked enhanced investments to consolidating stability, institutional development, fighting corruption, and improving the legal business environment, as reported by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office.

The oil file is also prominently featured in the Riyadh talks, as oil export security holds special importance for Iraq amid disruptions facing the region’s energy sector and growing risks to shipping routes and infrastructure. These challenges are pushing producing countries to seek alternative export routes and reduce reliance on maritime corridors vulnerable to disruption, as energy companies move to enhance transport options and pipelines, according to a Reuters report.

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces have reiterated their commitment to containing weapons and extending state authority. Saad Al-Nu’man, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, stressed that security forces would absorb the weapons of militias and prevent any activity outside state authority within the deadline set for June 30, 2027. Speaking during his participation in the ninth dialogue session of the Mery 2026 Forum held in Erbil, he added that the end of the international coalition’s mission had eliminated all pretexts for containing weapons and unifying security decision-making. He noted that militias had declared their commitment to the goodwill initiative and the 90-day deadline announced by the government regarding halting any activity targeting countries neighboring Iraq. He affirmed that the file of ending the coalition’s mission had undergone professional assessments free from political interference.

Regarding Iraqi borders, he pointed out that they are now 100% secured, so no illegal entity can threaten a neighboring state. He added that desert forces have been formed to protect the shared border with Saudi Arabia in the Karbala, Najaf, and Muthanna regions, equipped with the best necessary equipment and filling previous gaps.