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Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday, according to a statement from the prime minister’s media office reported by the Iraqi News Agency. Al-Zaidi condemned the recent Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport as well as other strikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, the agency said. The Iraqi leader reaffirmed Baghdad’s firm position against allowing its territory to be used as a launch point for any attacks threatening Saudi Arabia or other countries in the region. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed Saudi Arabia’s support for Iraq’s efforts to promote dialogue and achieve regional stability, the Iraqi News Agency added.
The discussions focused on the latest regional developments and coordination to strengthen security and stability across the area, according to the Iraqi statement. Al-Zaidi emphasized Iraq’s commitment to good neighborly relations and respect for national sovereignty during the talks. The meeting represented the first visit by a foreign leader to Riyadh since the Houthi assault on the airport, The National reported.
Saudi Arabia faced a series of Houthi attacks over the past week, including the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed 13 people, The National figures show. That incident, the deadliest in the kingdom in a decade, prompted authorities to close the airport until October 17 with airlines cancelling flights to Saudi destinations. Yemen’s Houthi forces claimed the operation targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh as well, describing it as retaliation, Shafaq News reported.
The Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday commended coalition operations against the Houthis and warned the group would face consequences for repeated attacks on the kingdom, Arab News reported. Ministers condemned strikes on airports, the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, pilgrims and civilian infrastructure while offering condolences to victims’ families. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who chaired the session, praised Saudi armed forces for defending the kingdom and deterring threats to its sovereignty.
A drone attack last month on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, which originated from Iraqi territory according to Saudi officials, forced a temporary shutdown of the seven-million-barrel-per-day route, Al Jazeera reported. The pipeline has since resumed operations after the incident that Baghdad investigated independently. Al-Zaidi’s visit follows his earlier calls for closer economic and security cooperation with Saudi Arabia to help stabilize the Gulf, Shafaq News noted.
The two sides reviewed opportunities to expand cooperation in various sectors with particular attention to security coordination addressing regional threats, the Iraqi News Agency stated. Al-Zaidi’s office highlighted Iraq’s rejection of being a platform for aggression just as it opposes attacks on its own soil. The premier had canceled a prior planned trip to Saudi Arabia in July after US-Saudi airstrikes on positions in Iraq, according to Shafaq News.
