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The United States and Iraq have agreed to intensify cooperation to prevent attacks and ensure Iraqi territory is not used as a launchpad for assaults against US facilities, the US Embassy in Baghdad announced on Friday.
Since the start of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran on February 28, Iraq has found itself increasingly pulled into a regional conflict it had desperately tried to avoid.
Pro-Iran armed groups operating inside Iraq have carried out multiple drone and rocket attacks against US targets, including the American embassy in Baghdad. In response, these groups — some of which are officially integrated into Iraq’s security forces — have repeatedly been targeted by airstrikes, which they have attributed to the United States or Israel.
New Joint Coordination Committee
Late on Friday, both the US Embassy and the Iraqi government announced the formation of a “High Joint Coordination Committee” to address the growing security threats.
“The Iraqi and US sides decided to intensify cooperation to prevent terrorist attacks and ensure that Iraqi territory is not used as a launching point for any aggression against the Iraqi people, the Iraqi Security Forces, Iraqi strategic facilities, as well as against US personnel, diplomatic missions, and the Global Coalition,” the US Embassy stated.
Strained Relations
Tensions between Washington and Baghdad have increased significantly as the wider Middle East conflict continues. Iraq has been particularly angered by a recent strike on a medical clinic in western Iraq that killed seven members of the Iraqi security forces.
While Iraq has not directly blamed the United States, it summoned the US chargé d’affaires in protest. Washington has denied targeting Iraqi security personnel.
Earlier this week, Iraq authorized the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) — a coalition of armed groups that includes powerful pro-Iran factions — to “confront and respond” to attacks after 15 of its fighters were killed in an airstrike.
Temporary Calm from Kataeb Hezbollah
Hours after the joint announcement, an explosion was reported near Erbil International Airport, which hosts a major US consulate complex and coalition military advisors.
Late Friday, the influential Iran-backed group Kataeb Hezbollah — designated a terrorist organization by the United States — announced it would extend its pause on attacks against the US embassy in Baghdad. The group first declared the pause on March 19 and has now extended it for a second time.
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