The meeting took place against a backdrop of high military and diplomatic tension between the United States and Iran. Al-Sudani, who is trying to maintain as neutral a position as possible, used the information he presented as a tool to deter militia leaders. During the discussion he confronted senior figures, including Qais al-Khazali of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq leadership, and made clear that Iraqi involvement in a conflict could lead to the country's destruction, and that he would not allow Iraqi territory to become a launch base for attacks.
The remarks come after a phone call al-Sudani held with President Trump last Thursday. During the conversation, according to reports, the Iraqi prime minister emphasized that Baghdad opposes the use of its territory for attacks against neighboring countries.
The credibility of the report is rated as moderate. No official confirmation of the document's existence has been provided, and experts note that the US military maintains contingency plans for a variety of military scenarios. The mere presentation of a scenario to the president does not necessarily indicate immediate operational intent.
It is possible that the leak of the information, or its use by al-Sudani, serves as a political pressure tool: on one hand, to deter Iran and accelerate diplomatic moves; on the other, to restrain the militias inside Iraq. At the same time, President Trump has stated in recent days that renewed fighting with Iran is unlikely in his view, and expressed a preference for an agreement, while emphasizing that the United States maintains full readiness.
The report primarily reflects the deep concern in Iraq's political leadership about the country becoming an arena of confrontation between Washington and Tehran, a scenario Baghdad is making considerable efforts to prevent. Meanwhile, Iran has categorically rejected Trump's claims about the existence of direct or indirect negotiations between the countries.
