Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi meets Saudi intelligence chief Khalid al‑Humaidan on regional security

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi met Saudi General Intelligence chief Khalid al‑Humaidan in Baghdad on 7 August. The two officials discussed expanding security coordination and intelligence sharing to curb regional escalation. Al‑Zaidi reiterated that Iraq will not permit its territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks against any other state and reaffirmed Baghdad’s commitment to protecting its sovereignty.

The talks came after Saudi‑backed U.S. strikes in Iraq targeting Iran‑aligned militias that had previously attacked Saudi oil facilities. Iran‑aligned armed groups, organized under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, had announced a planned retaliation but postponed it following an appeal by senior pro‑Iranian figure Hadi al‑Amiri and other political leaders. Saudi Arabia also renewed an invitation for al‑Zaidi to visit Riyadh, signalling a desire to deepen bilateral security cooperation amid heightened tensions involving the Houthis and other regional actors.