Iraq and Iran slam US comments on new joint security agreement

BAGHDAD — Iraq and Iran on Tuesday condemned U.S. criticism of their newly signed security memorandum, rejecting remarks by a U.S. State Department spokesperson who hinted the pact could increase Iranian influence in Iraq.

During an Aug. 12 press briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, “We support genuine Iraqi sovereignty, not legislation that would turn Iraq into an Iranian satellite state. And so, I think we have – we’ve been clear, in this particular instance certainly and others, that the future of nations should be in the hands of the people of those nations,” when she was asked about Larijani’s visit to Iraq and the signing of the new agreement.

Iraq’s embassy in Washington said in a statement that Iraq “is a fully sovereign state, and has the right to conclude agreements and memorandums of understanding in accordance with the provisions of its constitution and national laws, and in a manner consistent with its supreme interests.” It stressed that Iraq maintains “friendly and cooperative relations with a large number of countries in the world, including neighboring countries, the United States of America, and other friendly nations,” and “is not subordinate to the policy of any country.” The embassy added that the recent security memorandum with Iran “falls within the framework of bilateral cooperation to maintain security and control the shared borders, in a way that achieves the stability and security of both countries and serves the security of the region as a whole.”

The Iranian Embassy in Baghdad issued its own statement, calling the U.S. position “unacceptable interference” in the bilateral relations between Iran and Iraq. It affirmed the “common will of Iran and Iraq to strengthen relations between the two neighboring and Muslim peoples on the basis of good neighborliness and mutual respect,” and described the memorandum as a means to “enhance the security of both countries and combat terrorism.” The statement accused the U.S. of pursuing “a destabilizing approach toward countries in the region” and attempting to “sow discord between neighboring and Muslim peoples,” and said such comments violate the UN Charter and international law principles on cooperation between states.

On Aug. 11, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji and Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, signed a new joint security memorandum in Baghdad under the oversight of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The deal aims to strengthen coordination along the Iraq–Iran border, prevent cross-border militant activity, and enhance cooperation between security forces. It builds on a previous agreement signed in March 2023 under which Iraq pledged to prevent armed groups in its Kurdish region from launching attacks into Iran.