Shafaq News

Iraq is facing mounting security and economic risks as the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran expands across the region, threatening to unravel Baghdad’s fragile stability, according to the US magazine Foreign Affairs.

Iraq had avoided direct involvement in the conflict following the October 7, 2023, attacks, maintaining a delicate balance between Tehran and Washington. However, Foreign Affairs noted that this strategy is now under severe strain, as Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups have launched hundreds of attacks on US bases, while Iranian strikes have targeted sites in the Kurdistan Region and key oil facilities.

The United States has responded with airstrikes on infrastructure and commanders linked to Iranian-aligned factions, raising the risk of direct confrontation on Iraqi soil. The escalation has also affected Iraq’s political and economic stability, as the country’s parliament remains unable to form a government capable of addressing the crisis.

The report warned that continued escalation could drag Iraq deeper into conflict, creating a cycle of retaliation that may damage US-Iraq relations and push the country toward renewed instability after years of relative recovery.

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