Iraqi PM Vows Neutrality Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has stressed to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iraq must remain neutral amidst escalating regional conflicts. Despite diplomatic efforts to maintain Iraq's sovereignty, a missile strike by the IRGC on a US base highlighted the country's inadvertent involvement.

In a bid to maintain Iraq's neutrality, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani communicated to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iraq should not become a battleground for regional hostilities, as reported by Al Jazeera. This exchange occurred amidst a worsening regional security scenario that has seen Iraq's airspace crowded with missiles and combat aircraft.

During a telephone conversation with Rubio, Sudani underscored the necessity to prevent Iraq's airspace, territory, and waters from being used for military actions against neighboring countries, as per the Prime Minister's media office. Highlighted by Al Jazeera, the Iraqi government is determined to keep the nation insulated from escalating violence, standing firm against unauthorized foreign military incursions.

Sudani firmly dismissed attempts to involve Iraq in the ongoing conflicts and condemned any airspace violations. However, despite these diplomatic endeavors, violence breached Iraqi borders when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for a missile strike on a US military installation in northern Iraq, according to Al Jazeera's reports. The IRGC's statement specified the launching of five missiles against the Harir Air Base, a crucial hub for international forces, which indicates a deliberate escalation in regional confrontations.

(With inputs from agencies.)