Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi canceled his official visit to Saudi Arabia, planned for Thursday, citing recent security developments, the Qatari channel Al-Arabi reported Wednesday. The network attributed the cancellation to U.S.-Saudi coalition airstrikes and an emergency meeting of Iraq's National Security Council.
The cancellation follows a report by The Zioneer earlier Wednesday that the visit was called off, with no reason given at the time. The Qatari outlet Al-Arabi now provides additional context, citing the U.S.-Saudi coalition airstrikes and an emergency session of Iraq's National Security Council as the immediate triggers. The development underscores the strain on Iraq's diplomatic balancing act between Washington and Tehran, as the Iraqi PM also faces pressure from Iran-aligned factions. The reasons remain sourced to a single media report and have not been confirmed by official Iraqi or Saudi statements.
3 developments
- DevelopingIraqi PM al-Zaidi meets Saudi intelligence chief amid Saudi preparations for attack
- StrongAFP: Saudi, Turkish, Pakistani leaders to hold Jeddah summit Friday, citing government source
- DevelopingSaudi crown prince urged Trump to halt strike on Iran, i24NEWS reports
- DevelopingBarak Ravid: Saudi crown prince's concern over strike consequences led to cancellations
Source and signal
- Open-source intake