Iraq braces for renewed Iran conflict after 1,000 strikes on Kurdistan, 600 militia attacks

Baghdad shut crossings with Iran this week, and the Kurdistan Region denied hosting Ukrainian drones, as Iraq moves to avoid being drawn into another round of fighting.

Iraq is on edge over the prospect of renewed fighting with Iran after Tehran carried out some 1,000 strikes on the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. Additionally, Iranian-backed militias launched roughly 600 attacks inside Iraq, most of them on US diplomatic facilities.

Iraq closed some border crossings with Iran, including the Al-Sheeb crossing in southern Iraq, on Wednesday, saying it needed upgrades to security and technical infrastructure. Iran criticized the decision, saying Baghdad failed to provide advance notice and rejected allegations that narcotics and counterfeit currency are being smuggled into Iraq through border crossings, according to a Rudaw report.

This crossing, also known as Al-Shaib, was the first targeted for closure in Maysan Governorate. This crossing is believed to be near an area where an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq launched a drone strike on Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline in September. Rudaw also reported that, in retaliation, Iranian businessman Babak Zanjani called for restrictions on Iraqi oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has denied reports that Ukrainian forces, military units or drones are operating from its territory. The KRG Interior Ministry issued a statement on Thursday rejecting the allegations as baseless, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). However, the source of the reports remains unclear.

The ministry emphasized that the Kurdistan region maintains a policy of neutrality in regional and international conflicts. It said it would not allow its territory to serve as a base for hostile military operations against other countries. The statement reflects the KRG's efforts to avoid being sucked into conflicts involving Iran, as Tehran has been pressuring Iraq to expel Kurdish-Iranian opposition groups that are present in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq.

Iraq, Jordan move to strengthen bilateral security 

In another development, Iraq and Jordan have emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral security cooperation. According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Iraqi Interior Minister Yasser al-Maliki spoke by telephone on Wednesday with his Jordanian counterpart, Mazen al-Faraya. Faraya congratulated Maliki on assuming his new position, and the two officials discussed expanding coordination between their interior ministries.

The Iraqi Interior Ministry said the conversation reflected the two countries' commitment to strengthening security and stability through closer cooperation. The discussion comes as Baghdad seeks to manage security along its borders. While Jordan and Iraq have positive historic ties, the desert area near Jordan and Syria in Iraq’s Western Anbar area has been a source of threats in the past. This is a largely tribal, sparsely populated area that could become a security vacuum following the US withdrawal from Iraq and Syria.

Iraq is also focusing on security along its western border with Syria. According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Defense Minister Nayef Mukayif al-Shammari conducted an aerial inspection tour on Saturday of Iraqi military units deployed along the Iraq-Syria border in Nineveh province. The Iraqi Defense Ministry said the visit aimed to review force deployment and positioning along the border and assess operational readiness.