Qasim al-Araji, National Security Advisor of Iraq, announced that Baghdad has submitted a proposal to Tehran and Riyadh for the formation of a “Joint Security Coordination Council” involving the Islamic Republic, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
Speaking to Iraqi state television, al-Araji stated that the primary obstacle in relations between the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia remains a “crisis of trust” between the two nations. He did not provide further details regarding the structure, operational procedures, or potential mandate of the proposed joint security coordination council.
Baghdad’s proposal to establish this joint security mechanism comes several weeks after joint airstrikes conducted by Saudi Arabia and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) against bases belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq.
The PMF is a coalition of militia groups supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. At least 20 members of these forces were killed during the airstrikes.
Following the strikes, the Iraqi National Security Council described the attacks as a “flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty.”
