Iraq has pushed back against claims by Donald Trump that Baghdad approved or knew in advance about recent US-Saudi strikes on Iraqi territory. Iraqi officials said there was no authorization, no prior knowledge and no agreement for the military action to take place.
According to the government’s account, Baghdad formally condemned the strikes after they killed at least 20 members of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces. The response underlined Iraq’s position that any foreign military operation on its soil without consent is unacceptable and a violation of its sovereignty.
The dispute has also affected diplomacy between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iraqi authorities said a planned prime ministerial visit to Saudi Arabia has been deferred following the incident, highlighting how the fallout is extending beyond security issues into regional relations.
The episode adds to broader tensions involving Iraq, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Iran-aligned armed groups operating in the country. By publicly rejecting Trump’s version of events, Baghdad is trying to make clear that it neither approved the strikes nor had advance knowledge of them.
