Sudani urges NATO members to stay out of Iran war in call with Rutte

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani urged NATO member states to refrain from engaging in the regional war during a phone call Thursday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stressing the need for dialogue and a diplomatic solution.

Sudani affirmed Iraq’s support for international efforts to halt the conflict and said Baghdad “condemns any use of Iraqi territory or airspace to carry out attacks against others.” He also told Rutte that Iraq’s military and security forces are fully prepared to protect embassies and diplomatic missions operating in the country.

Rutte expressed appreciation for Iraq’s stance, reaffirmed the partnership between NATO and Iraq, and offered condolences for Iraqi casualties resulting from recent military actions.

The call reflects Iraq’s increasingly difficult position as the regional war grinds on. Baghdad has been struck from both directions — Iran-aligned factions launching drone and rocket attacks on U.S. and coalition targets across the country, including repeated strikes on the U.S. Embassy compound, while airstrikes widely attributed to the United States and Israel have hit PMF positions across at least seven governorates, killing dozens of fighters. Iraq has condemned both sets of attacks, filed legal complaints over the strikes on its security forces, and repeatedly insisted that war and peace decisions rest solely with the state — while struggling to enforce that position against armed factions.