Baghdad – Iraq’s Prime Minister has publicly reaffirmed that his government will not recognize Israel or pursue diplomatic relations, rejecting U.S. calls for regional normalization and emphasizing Baghdad’s ongoing commitment to the traditional Arab stance regarding Israel. The announcement comes at a time of heightened instability in the region, following a wave of historic normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states.
Iraq’s Position on Normalization
Iraq’s government remains firm in upholding longstanding Arab policies of non-recognition toward Israel, a position deeply embedded in decades of regional history and conflict. The Iraqi parliament in 2022 codified this approach, enacting laws criminalizing all contact or attempts at normalization with the Israeli government or its citizens—a position enforced with severe penalties. Iraqi officials consistently link their policy to the question of Gaza, expressing support for Gaza residents, whose territory is controlled by the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hamas.
This most recent statement from the Prime Minister explicitly separates Iraq from U.S. efforts to encourage wider Arab-Israeli engagement and reconciliation. It also aligns with Iraq’s domestic political realities, where Iranian-backed factions exert significant influence over both security and foreign policy decision-making.
Regional Context and the Abraham Accords
The landscape across the Middle East has shifted in recent years with the launch of the Abraham Accords in 2020, paving the way for normalization and cooperation between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. These agreements have brought clear economic, technological, and security benefits to their signatories, as well as improved cooperation in countering Iranian and extremist threats.
Despite this shift, Iraq has remained outside the normalization process, in part due to strong influence from Iran’s leadership and the operational presence of Iranian-backed militias inside Iraq. These militias, key members of the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” maintain deep ties to Tehran and stand firmly against any recognition of Israel, regularly conducting attacks against U.S. and allied forces stationed in Iraq and Syria.
Role of Iran and Regional Terror Networks
Iraq lies at the crossroads of profound geopolitical rivalries. It is both a battleground for Iranian and Western influence, and a crucial link in enabling Iran-backed terror networks. Tehran’s support for Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and a collection of militant groups in Syria and Iraq has sustained the war against Israel and regional stability. Iraqi war rhetoric and legislative action against normalization simultaneously underwrite Iran’s regional agenda and cement Iraq’s place within the “Axis of Resistance.”
The deadliest antisemitic attack since the Holocaust—the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023—triggered another devastating war between Israel and Hamas. In the wake of these atrocities, support for aggressive resistance to normalization has mounted in Iraq, where public demonstrations, media narratives, and parliamentary action uphold the ideological rejection of diplomatic engagement with Israel.
U.S.-Iraq Tensions and Internal Pressures
While the United States remains a key security and economic partner for Iraq, tensions persist over policy toward Israel. The U.S. strongly supports Israel’s right to defend itself from Iranian-backed terror groups, advocating for a broader coalition against regional extremism and promoting Arab-Israeli cooperation to ensure lasting peace and security. Baghdad, however, has grown increasingly cautious of close alignment with Washington’s policy, responding to mounting internal demands from political blocs loyal to Iran that oppose all moves toward normalization.
Public protests and influential clerical voices in Iraq continue to denounce normalization and advocate for solidarity with Gaza. These sentiments are further entrenched by the 2022 criminalization law, which not only penalizes normalization attempts but suppresses civil discourse and dialogue initiatives. The climate of intimidation effectively marginalizes reformist government officials and civil society actors who advocate for open engagement or reconsideration of the status quo.
Comparison with Other Arab States and the Reality in Israel
Other Arab countries that have entered normalization agreements with Israel have experienced tangible advances in trade, investment, and security, as well as increased resilience against threats posed by Iranian-backed groups. Israel, meanwhile, continues to function as the region’s only democracy, offering legal protection and civil rights to all its citizens regardless of origin or faith while confronting unrelenting cross-border threats and terror campaigns.
Iraq’s continued refusal to recognize Israel underscores the stark divide in the approach to normalization in the Middle East, with Baghdad choosing to prioritize historic Arab League stances and Iranian-aligned interests over new opportunities for regional integration and cooperation.
Implications for Regional Security and Stability
The statement from Iraq’s Prime Minister highlights the enduring obstacles to regional stability: the persistent influence of Iranian-backed militias; the legacy of anti-Israel legislation and rhetoric; and the divisive narrative that equates normalization with betrayal of Gaza’s residents. In the face of Hamas atrocities and ongoing hostage crises, Israel’s self-defense measures remain urgent and necessary, even as some regional actors, including Iraq, entrench resistance.
Conclusion
Iraq’s renewed public rejection of normalization with Israel both reflects and reinforces entrenched regional divisions. Grounded in decades of anti-Israel policy, motivated by Iranian strategic imperatives, and institutionalized through legal measures, this stance stands in marked contrast to the new model of pragmatic cooperation demonstrated by countries that have embraced the Abraham Accords. The ongoing war against Iranian-backed terror groups, and the resulting instability, ensure that the cost of ideological intransigence—in lives, prosperity, and the possibility of lasting peace—remains starkly visible in the Middle East.
