On 2026-07-29, the United States and Saudi Arabia jointly struck Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, prompting Iran to resume missile attacks. The escalation also included Iranian attacks on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, driving oil prices higher.
Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani (referred to as Zaidi) visited Ankara and Riyadh on July 27, 2026 to deepen regional ties, focusing on energy and security cooperation with Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Kurdish leaders expressed concern about being sidelined from these diplomatic efforts.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi made his first official visit to Iran for talks with senior Iranian officials on cooperation and shared security interests. Iraq relies heavily on Iranian natural gas and electricity, with bilateral trade exceeding $12 billion.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi visited Tehran on July 23, signing cooperation agreements and delivering a US-Iran ceasefire proposal. Iranian officials rejected the proposal, stating it fails to address key concerns over territorial control.