Iraq News Now

Shafaq News/Members of the Iraqi Parliament and political analysts have praised PrimeMinister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani for his proactive efforts to prevent Iraq frombeing entangled in the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, includinghigh-level meetings with ambassadors from major global powers such as theUnited States, Russia, and China.

Support forNeutrality

The IraqiParliament's Foreign Relations Committee expressed its full support forAl-Sudani’s approach, emphasizing that his policies are d”esigned to maintainIraq’s neutrality while protecting the country’s vital interests.” Thecommittee stressed the importance of safeguarding Iraq’s religious leadership,government institutions, armed forces, and the unity of its political andsocial fabric.

AbbasAl-Jubouri, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, praised the PrimeMinister’s diplomatic initiatives, facilitated through the Foreign Ministry,describing them as a "correct step." He explained that Iraq’s Parliamenthas been actively involved, with the acting Speaker of Parliament holdingmeetings with European Union ambassadors and other internationalrepresentatives.

"Thelegislative and executive branches are aligned in creating a position ofstrength for Iraq," Al-Jubouri said.

DiplomaticEngagement with Major Powers

BassemAl-Awadi, the Iraqi government spokesperson, highlighted the significance ofthe Prime Minister’s recent diplomatic engagements. He explained that“Al-Sudani’s meetings with the ambassadors of the US, Russia, and China arepart of a larger strategy to prevent the further escalation of violence in Gazaand Lebanon and to ensure stability in Iraq and the region.”

During thesediscussions, Al-Sudani called for more active involvement from China and Russiain curbing the crisis by utilizing international organizations to haltaggression, protect civilians, and preserve global peace. Additionally, thePrime Minister emphasized the need for greater international coordination inactivating relief programs to assist the victims of the war.

Al-Sudanialso raised concerns about "extremist media outlets" that hadrecently made derogatory statements about Iraq’s highest religious authority,Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani. He appealed to the ambassadors, representingpermanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to take a "firmposition against such inflammatory rhetoric."

Calls forInternational Dialogue

Iraqi MP AliNi’ma Al-Bandawi cautioned against the potential dangers posed by furtherescalation in the region. He urged for “diplomatic efforts to extend beyond thecurrent talks with ambassadors and foreign ministers,” advocating for aninternational dialogue aimed at preventing the region from descending intobroader conflicts.

"Thesituation in Iraq and the region cannot tolerate any escalation,"Al-Bandawi told Shafaq News Agency. He stressed that it is crucial to initiatediscussions at an international level to protect the region from potentialwars.

Al-Bandawialso pointed to Iraq’s growing role as a mediator between Arab states, citingBaghdad’s increasing diplomatic credibility in Arab, regional, andinternational arenas. “Iraq’s efforts to foster dialogue and mitigate conflictsare key aspects of its rising influence in the region.”

ProactiveSteps for Regional Stability

Iraqi PrimeMinister Al-Sudani’s recent meetings with ambassadors from Russia, China, andthe US represent a significant move toward diplomacy, according to politicalanalyst Saif Al-Saadi. These efforts come at a time when Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu has mentioned a "new Middle East," following theevents of October 7.

Al-Saadiexplained that “Al-Sudani is taking proactive measures to prevent Iraq andother influential countries in the region from descending into furtherinstability, especially in light of veiled threats targeting Iraq’s religiousauthorities and key political figures.”

Thediscussions with ambassadors of the UN Security Council’s permanent members, headded, may influence decisions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza or prevent theexpansion of the conflict. Al-Saadi saw the Prime Minister’s efforts as apositive move toward reducing tensions in the region.

Efforts toDefuse Regional Crises

Politicalanalyst Abbas Al-Jubouri echoed similar sentiments, stressing that Iraq hashistorically avoided aligning itself with international axes of conflict. Hebelieved that through Prime Minister Al-Sudani’s meetings with key diplomatsand officials, “Iraq can now play a vital role in defusing the crisis in theregion," adding that if tensions continue to escalate, Iraq and itsneighboring countries will inevitably be affected.

"Iraqaims to play a major role in restoring balance to the region through itsdiplomatic relationships."

Criticism ofIraq’s Foreign Policy Approach

Despite thepositive assessments, some analysts remain critical of Iraq’s foreign policyunder Al-Sudani. Political analyst Ahmed Al-Yasiri argued that the PrimeMinister’s government has been less active in foreign affairs compared toprevious administrations, largely because of its focus on internal issues suchas strengthening the middle class, promoting internal reconciliation, andbreaking the political deadlock within the country.

"Whilethese internal policies are important," Al-Yasiri told Shafaq News,"they have affected Iraq’s foreign political performance, which has beenless active during the current regional crisis."

Al-Yasiricriticized Iraq’s delayed response to the Gaza conflict, noting that thecountry’s stance only emerged after the Arab League meeting. He argued thatIraq’s approach has relied mainly on issuing statements rather than takingconcrete actions alongside its Arab allies.

While acknowledgingthe importance of Al-Sudani’s recent diplomatic moves, Al-Yasiri believed theycame “too late.” He also expressed concern that the “government’sdecision-making process is overly reliant on the Coordination Framework, aparliamentary bloc, instead of being led by the executive branch.”

"Thegovernment, not parliamentary blocs, should be leading such initiatives,"he said.

The Need forDecisive Leadership

Al-Yasiriconcluded by emphasizing the need for Prime Minister Al-Sudani to take a moredecisive stance. He urged the Prime Minister to call for an Arab summitinvolving key regional players such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, the UAE,and Egypt to develop a unified position.

“It isnecessary to activate security agreements with these countries to addresspotential Israeli threats to Iraq.”