Iraq stays outside new Middle East defense alliances, citing non-alignment policy

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has not joined a series of new security and defense agreements reshaping the Middle East in recent weeks, a position officials and analysts describe as rooted in Baghdad's longstanding non-alignment policy. The most notable pact is a joint defense agreement signed on August 7 in Mecca by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, under which an armed attack against any one signatory is treated as an attack on all three. Earlier, on July 30, 2026, Riyadh announced that 14 countries had endorsed a multinational maritime alliance focused on Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab security. Amir al-Fayiz, chair of the Iraqi parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, said Iraq's absence from these frameworks should not be read as a negative stance. He said Iraqi policy rests on a principle of non-bloc alignment, adding that Baghdad welcomes any stability agreement in the region but prefers bilateral security and economic deals with neighbors, excluding Israel. Political researcher Khaled al-Ardawi argued that Iraq lacks a clear, actionable foreign policy strategy and remains in a "gray zone" in international relations. Fellow researcher Adel al-Gurairi said post-2003 geopolitical shifts, the 2014 territorial gains by ISIS and continued internal political disputes have pushed Iraq away from the Arab mainstream. Turkish analyst Cevad Gok said Baghdad avoids direct military alliances to stay out of conflicts and is instead pursuing development-focused bilateral agreements. Analysts warn that staying outside the new alliances could leave Iraq exposed to the consequences of shifting regional security arrangements.