Iraqi PM, Saudi intelligence chief discuss regional security as militias delay response

Aug 7 (Reuters) - Iraqi ‌Prime Minister ​Ali ​al-Zaidi met Saudi general intelligence chief Khalid al-Humaidan on Friday to discuss coordination ‌over regional security developments, the prime minister's ⁠office said.

Zaidi said Iraq would not allow its territory ‌to be used to ‌launch attacks or activities targeting any other country. He reiterated Baghdad's commitment to protecting its ​sovereignty and preventing regional escalation.

The meeting came amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and ⁠Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups after Riyadh last month carried out strikes ​in Iraq with U.S. Central Command that it said targeted groups responsible for attacks ​on Saudi oil facilities, ‌and warned this week of imminent attacks by Iraqi militias and Yemen's Houthis.

Iran-aligned ⁠Iraqi armed groups had vowed to respond to the Saudi strikes, but the Islamic Resistance in ⁠Iraq, an umbrella term for those factions, said on Friday ​it had postponed a response planned for the day following an appeal by Hadi al-Amiri, one of Iraq's ‌most powerful pro-Iranian figures, and positions taken by unnamed political leaders.

The group did ‌not specify the nature of the planned ⁠response or identify its ‌intended target.

(Reporting by ​Enas Alashray, Ahmed Tolba and Muayad Hameed; Editing by Alex Richardson and Sanjeev ‌Miglani)

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