Saudi rapprochement with Iraq comes in the context of the US administration's keenness on curtailing Iran's role in Iraq. US President Donald Trump discussed in a Feb. 10 phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi the “threat Iran presents across the entire region,” according to a White House Information Office statement.
Trump has criticized the policy of his predecessor, Barack Obama, for allowing Iran to extend its influence, tweeting, “Iran is rapidly taking over more and more of Iraq, even after the US has squandered $3 trillion there.”
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has called Iran “the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.” Mattis visited Iraq a few days prior to Jubeir’s visit, where he said during his meeting with Abadi, “We came here to support Iraq and emphasize the continuation of relations and support in the post-IS period.”
Abadi appeared confident when he told Mattis that there are no foreign forces fighting in Iraqi territory (in reference to the Iranian military presence), adding that “there are only advisers, while the Iraqi forces are the ones who are fighting and achieving victories.”
Louay al-Alawi, the head of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry Office, said Jubeir’s visit entailed talks related to “issues of regional security, terrorism and the situation in Syria and Yemen, as well as Iraq’s stance regarding these countries and its relations with Iran.”
Jubeir’s visit comes as Iraq is making an intense effort to improve its relations with neighboring countries. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also paid a visit to Baghdad in January.
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