US Secretary of State makes unannounced trip to Iraq amid regional instability

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq, meeting with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Baghdad.

The meeting comes as the international community grapples with the fallout from the sudden collapse of the Syrian government and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime to rebel forces last weekend, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

During their more than hour-long meeting, Blinken and Sudani discussed the implications of the shifting situation in Syria, as well as the urgent need to coordinate efforts in the region. Blinken, who has been engaged in a series of discussions with key regional partners in Türkiye and Jordan, emphasized the importance of ensuring that any interim government in Syria does not allow the country to become a base for terrorism or extremism.

"Any interim government also makes sure that Syria is not used as a base for terrorism, extremism, and poses a threat to its neighbors or ally with groups like ISIS," Blinken stated. He also noted that ISIS "no doubt will seek to regroup."

Blinken's visit follows that of the top US military commander for the Middle East, who had visited Iraq for an assessment of the ongoing D-ISIS mission in both Iraq and Syria. Two senior State Department officials had also been in Baghdad ahead of Blinken’s visit to prepare for the meeting.

The US is closely monitoring the situation in Iraq, particularly the activities of Iranian-backed militias, which have previously targeted US personnel and interests. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan warned on Saturday that these militias "could try to take advantage of" the instability caused by the developments in Syria. Blinken had also urged the Iraqi government last November to take stronger measures to prevent attacks from these groups, following the October 7 Hamas attack.

After his stop in Iraq, Blinken is scheduled to travel to Aqaba, Jordan, for a ministerial meeting on December 14. The focus will be on efforts to reconstruct Syrian state institutions in a way that "preserves Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, security, stability, and the rights of all its citizens," according to a statement from the Jordanian foreign ministry.

By Vafa Guliyeva