ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq is an “integral part” of the Arab world and using its territory as a launchpad for attacks against other countries violates the Iraqi constitution, a high-ranking Iraqi security official said on Thursday. The remarks come after both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently reported drone attacks targeting vital facilities on their territory, which they said originated from Iraq.
National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji stated that “Iraq is an integral part of the Arab world and that the Iraqi constitution does not permit the use of Iraqi territory to carry out attacks or launch aggression against other countries.”
He underscored “the importance of building balanced relations with the international community based on shared interests and mutual respect,” while emphasizing “the need for international law and the United Nations [Charter] to serve as the foundation for regulating relations between states, in accordance with the principle of mutual respect.”
The remarks come a day after Baghdad on Wednesday established a “special committee” to liaise with Saudi Arabia and the UAE regarding investigations into attacks targeting their territories, state media reported.
Iraqi government Spokesperson Sabah al-Numan conveyed his country’s condemnation of the assaults, “stressing the government’s rejection of the use of Iraqi territory or airspace to attack brotherly Arab countries and friendly regional states."
He further reported that a “special committee has been formed to contact the relevant authorities in both countries," and quoted Iraqi Prime Minister al-Zaidi as instructing that “all necessary measures be taken against those involved if it is indeed proven that Iraqi territory was used as a launch point for the attacks.”
The development came shortly after Abu Dhabi on Wednesday “condemned in the strongest terms the unprovoked terrorist drone attacks launched from Iraqi territory, including an attack targeting the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on Sunday."
A day earlier, the Emirati defense ministry said its investigation confirmed that three drones targeted the critical facility, noting that the attack “originated from Iraqi territory” and while two drones were intercepted, “the third struck an electrical generator outside the plant’s inner perimeter.”
Abu Dhabi further urged Baghdad to “prevent all acts of aggression launched from its territory" and work towards enhancing its position as “an active and responsible regional partner.”
Meanwhile, Saudi defense ministry Spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki on Sunday stated that “on the morning of Sunday, May 17, 2026, three drones were intercepted and destroyed after entering Saudi Arabia’s airspace from Iraq.”
“The Ministry of Defense reserves the right to respond at the appropriate time and place and will implement all necessary operational measures to counter any attempted aggression against the Kingdom’s sovereignty, security, or the safety of its citizens and residents,” Malki affirmed.
The US and Israel launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran in late February, striking thousands of targets across the country during six weeks of hostilities.
In response, Iran carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.
The Iranian response has also included strikes by factions aligned with the Iran-led ‘Axis of Resistance’, including by shadowy armed groups in Iraq that have claimed numerous attacks against alleged US targets in the country and the wider region.
In mid-April, the UAE handed the chargé d’affaires at the Iraqi embassy a “strongly worded” letter of protest over what it described as “terrorist attacks” launched from Iraqi territory by Iran-aligned armed groups targeting facilities in Gulf Arab states, despite the ongoing truce.
Abu Dhabi then warned that the continuation of such attacks places ties with Baghdad “under highly sensitive strain.”
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