ERBIL () - The Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Haybat al-Halbousi, condemned drone attacks launched from Iraqi territory against Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, stressing that Iraq would not allow its land or airspace to be used to threaten its neighbors, as Baghdad and Riyadh worked Friday to contain the fallout from strikes that injured personnel and disrupted the kingdom's main oil export route.
In an official statement issued Saturday, Halbousi said the use of Iraqi land or airspace to threaten the security of Saudi Arabia or any other neighboring country was categorically unacceptable. "Using Iraqi territory or airspace to threaten the security of brotherly Saudi Arabia or any other neighboring country is a rejected and condemned act,"Halbousi said.
He added that such actions run entirely counter to official Iraqi policy, the country's national interests, and its friendly relations with countries across the region.
Halbousi also warned of the dangers of dragging Iraq into regional conflicts, reiterating the importance of keeping weapons solely in the hands of the state and its constitutional institutions, under the direct command of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He described this as a step toward reinforcing state authority and preserving the country's security and stability.
On the government's handling of the crisis, Halbousi voiced his full support for the measures taken by Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ali al-Zaidi, particularly the decision to launch an urgent investigation to identify the parties involved in the attacks and hold them accountable under the law. He closed his statement by praising the government's efforts to control the situation and preserve friendly relations between Baghdad and Riyadh in a manner that serves Iraq's interests and keeps the country and the region away from further tension.
The strikes that prompted Halbousi's statement hit pumping stations along the East-West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions early Thursday, Sept. 10, according to Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry, which confirmed the attack and said operations along the line were suspended as a precaution while emergency and technical teams assessed the damage. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said the attacks caused injuries and material damage that repair crews were now addressing.
The East-West pipeline has become critical to Saudi Arabia's oil exports since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in February 2026, forcing Riyadh to reroute roughly 5 million barrels of oil per day that once transited the Gulf toward the Red Sea port of Yanbu instead. A CNN report citing two US officials said initial assessments indicated the pumping stations were struck by drones launched from within Iraqi territory, though it remained unclear whether the pipeline itself sustained structural damage or how long repairs would take.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said it would refrain from a military response at this stage at the request of al-Zaidi, in order to give Baghdad the opportunity to take the necessary measures to prevent further attacks originating from Iraqi soil against Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries. The kingdom, however, stressed it fully reserves the right to take all measures necessary to protect its sovereignty, security, institutions and citizens.
The pipeline strikes came the same day the Houthis captured the port city of Mocha and, according to Yemeni government sources, the strategic Perim Island in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, placing pressure on both ends of the route Saudi Arabia now depends on to bypass Hormuz. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Donald Trump twice that day urging strikes against the Houthis, Axios reported citing two US officials, though Trump did not take the calls, with officials saying the administration has no current plans to intervene directly against the group. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had said on Aug. 29, 2026, that either all Gulf states would export their oil freely or none would, a statement that has been cast as underpinning the coordinated pressure on Saudi export infrastructure.
The Iraqi government strongly condemned the drone attacks on Friday, with al-Zaidi ordering an urgent investigation to identify those responsible. Sabah Numan, spokesman for the Iraqi Armed Forces General Command, said Baghdad categorically rejects any transgression against Saudi Arabia's security and stability and praised Riyadh's restraint. "Ali al-Zaidi has directed an urgent investigation into the details of the attacks and the identification of the parties behind them, so that strict legal measures are taken against anyone found to have had a hand in these crimes,"Numan said.
Numan added that Iraqi territory and airspace would never become "a base or gateway for attacks against any country,"describing the country's foreign policy as grounded in respect for state sovereignty and good neighborliness. He said Baghdad welcomed Riyadh's decision to hold its fire at Iraq's request as a reflection of Saudi Arabia's appreciation for Baghdad's efforts to defuse the situation.
The investigation ordered by al-Zaidi is understood to focus on Iran-aligned armed factions operating in Iraq, which US and Saudi officials have identified as the likely source of the strikes. The probe arrives as a Sept. 30, 2026, deadline for the disarmament of such factions approaches, with several groups still declining to comply — a backdrop that has placed additional pressure on al-Zaidi's government at a sensitive moment in its efforts to bring weapons under state control.
