Iraqi lawmaker Kaanbi says military response should be considered in Saudi dispute

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi parliament member Ahmed Kaanbi said his country should reject diplomatic options in its dispute with Saudi Arabia and instead consider a military response, according to a statement reported on Tuesday. Kaanbi's remarks signaled a hard-line posture from a segment of Iraq's political class toward Gulf states, suggesting that diplomatic channels could weaken if such views gain traction. The lawmaker's statement comes amid heightened regional tensions and an exchange of sharp rhetoric between Baghdad and Riyadh. No details of a specific Saudi action that prompted the remarks were immediately available, and Saudi officials had not publicly responded by the time of publication. Diplomatic backchannels between Iraq and Saudi Arabia have been active in recent years, with talks focused on security cooperation, border management and energy coordination. Kaanbi's comments did not indicate any change in official Iraqi government policy, and there was no immediate sign that his stance reflected the position of Iraq's executive branch. It remained unclear whether other Iraqi political factions shared Kaanbi's view or whether the statement would influence official decision-making. Further developments were being monitored, though no immediate policy shift was announced.