Iraq has evidence outsiders used its soil to attack neighbours, foreign minister says

Iraq has evidence that external parties have used its territory to launch attacks on neighbouring countries, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

Hussein said Baghdad is investigating attacks launched from Iraqi soil against Gulf states and is seeking to resolve its disagreements with Saudi Arabia through dialogue rather than confrontation.

Saudi Arabia has accused Iran-aligned groups operating inside Iraq of attacking its oil infrastructure. In September, Baghdad confirmed that drone attacks targeting the kingdom's East-West pipeline had originated from Iraqi territory.

The foreign minister said his government is negotiating with Iran-aligned armed factions to bring their weapons under state control, and that the process must be pursued through dialogue rather than force. He added that Iraq is also in contact with Tehran over the issue of weapons held by Iraqi factions.

Iraq's government had initially set a deadline of September 30 for armed factions to bring their weapons under state control, the date when the US-led international coalition formed to combat ISIL (ISIS) was set to end its mandate and leave the country.

However, it pushed the deadline back to June 2027 after encountering resistance to the policy, despite long-standing pressure from the United States to fulfil its disarmament pledge.

On Iraq's delicate balancing act between Tehran and Washington, Hussein confirmed that the US had formally requested the closure of all but two of Iraq's border crossings with Iran. He added that while Iraq welcomes friendship and an alliance with Tehran, it rejects any interference in its internal affairs.

Hussein also said Iraq has lost about $60bn as a result of the suspension of oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, but noted that shipments have since resumed after understandings were reached with both Washington and Tehran.

On the question of combating ISIL once the coalition pulls out, Hussein said Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Turkiye have formed a committee to fight the armed group's presence in Syria.

Al Jazeera's full interview with the Iraqi foreign minister is scheduled to air at 21:00 Doha time (18:00 GMT) on Sunday.