Iraq 25 January 2026

25 January 2026

In a call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio “emphasised that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq’s own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq”, according to a State Department readout. On the same day, the secretary general of Kata’ib Hizbollah issued an open appeal to “prepare for a comprehensive war in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” He warned that the war “will not be a picnic”.