Iraq proposes joint security council between Iran, Saudi Arabia

Iraq has proposed creating a joint security council between Iran and Saudi Arabia, a senior Iraqi official said Sunday, citing a “crisis of trust” between the two regional powers.

Qasim al-Araji, national security adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, said Baghdad had presented the proposal to both Tehran and Riyadh.

“The problem between the two countries is a crisis of trust,” al-Araji told state broadcaster Iraqiya TV.

He gave no further details on the proposed mechanism, while neither Iran nor Saudi Arabia immediately commented.

Al-Araji also said that bringing all weapons under state control was a “purely Iraqi strategic decision,” stressing that decisions of war and peace rest exclusively with the Iraqi state.

The Iraqi army announced on June 3 the formation of a committee tasked with bringing weapons under state control, a longstanding security and political challenge amid the presence of armed factions operating both within and outside the Popular Mobilization Forces.

The proposal comes amid heightened regional tensions and days after Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan discussed developments in the region, stressing the need to contain escalation and resolve disputes peacefully.

On July 27, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory that attempted to target oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh.

Riyadh blamed “Iran-affiliated militias” for the attacks and said it reserved the right to respond.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered security agencies the same day to investigate information provided by Saudi Arabia about the launch of the drones from Iraqi territory.