US offers to boost security ties with Iraq after Iran strike

A top US official met Iraq’s prime minister on Tuesday and offered greater security cooperation after Iran carried out a strike in its western neighbor.

Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security advisor, met at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as well as the Iraqi Kurdistan region’s leader Masrour Barzani.

Sullivan spoke with Sudani about “Iran’s reckless ballistic missile attacks,” a White House statement said.

“Sullivan and Sudani discussed the importance of stopping attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria and committed to enhancing security cooperation as part of a long-term, sustainable defense partnership,” it said.

Iran said it struck Israel’s intelligence services in Iraqi Kurdistan as well as targets of ISIS in Syria.

Iraq has denounced the strike and challenged Iran’s claim that it targeted Israeli intelligence services.

On January 3, ISIS suicide bombers struck crowds gathered near the tomb of Revolutionary Guards general Qasem Soleimani in Kerman, Iran, killing around 90 people.