Iraqi PM, Qatar emir push coordination as war strains region

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called for closer Arab coordination on Wednesday to contain the fallout from the escalating war.

In a phone call, the two leaders discussed the conflict’s impact on regional and global security, as well as disruptions to energy markets, supply chains, and trade. They rejected any expansion of the conflict and backed diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting, stressing the need to safeguard maritime and air navigation.

The call comes as Gulf and Arab states step up pressure on Baghdad. Earlier on Wednesday, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan urged Iraq to curb attacks by Iran-aligned armed factions targeting neighboring countries.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has claimed missile and drone attacks on US and Israeli-linked targets across the Gulf, with support from Iraqi factions that have carried out strikes inside and outside Iraq.