Rubio warns Iraq over ties with Iran amid expected return of Maliki as prime minister

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday warned Iraq against forming a government loyal to Iran, after Washington raised concerns over the expected return of Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister.

Al-Maliki, who left office in 2014 under pressure from the United States, has been nominated for the role by the largest Shia parliamentary bloc in Iraq’s parliament.

In a phone call with current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Rubio said he hoped the next government would make Iraq “a force for stability, prosperity and security in the Middle East”.

US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio stressed 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.” 

The formation of a pro-Iran government in Iraq would be seen as a gain for Tehran, which has recently faced major setbacks at home and in the region.

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