Iraq is strengthening security along its borders with Iran and Syria and preparing contingency measures, including a possible shift to online classes and arrangements for people displaced by fighting, amid growing fears of a renewed war between Washington and Tehran.
The preparations come as the United States presses Baghdad to restrict movement across its border with Iran and Iraqi officials worry that Iran-aligned armed factions could become involved in any escalation. The developments have placed Iraq in a delicate position as it seeks to prevent its territory from being used in attacks while avoiding being drawn into a wider regional conflict.
Army commanders given emergency powers
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has granted army commanders “exceptional powers” to respond immediately to armed violations and confront outlawed groups without first seeking his approval.
A senior Iraqi security official told the newspaper that surveillance has been intensified along sensitive stretches of the Iranian and Syrian borders. Security forces are carrying out round-the-clock checks for unusual movements, while additional troops have been deployed in border cities.
The monitoring operation extends along the Iranian border from Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan in the north to Basra in the south. The army has also strengthened its presence along the Syrian border.
Basra is receiving particular attention because of concerns that armed groups could operate in strategically sensitive locations in the southern province, the official said.
The emergency preparations also include contingency arrangements for civilians. Authorities are considering shifting classes online if the security situation deteriorates and preparing facilities to accommodate people who may be displaced by any fighting.
US presses Baghdad to shut most Iran border crossings
The security build-up comes as Washington seeks to tighten economic pressure on Tehran by restricting its access to cross-border trade and movement through Iraq.
The United States has formally asked Iraq to close all but two of its border crossings with Iran, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Sunday. Washington has proposed keeping one crossing operational in the Kurdistan region and another elsewhere in the country, although the two locations have not yet been identified.
Hussein said implementing such a measure would be difficult because Iraq has numerous official and unofficial crossings with Iran. He warned that shutting most of them could disrupt trade and movement and hurt the Iraqi economy.
“The Americans are still demanding the closure of the crossings, and we are currently in discussions with them,” he said.
It also remains unclear whether the proposed restrictions would apply to visitors, commercial traffic or all movement across the border.
Iraq had already closed the Sheeb border crossing with Iran last month to review security arrangements and install equipment intended to detect smuggling.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has also announced a new task force to disrupt Iran's use of land routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials, widening Washington's efforts to restrict Tehran's supply networks.
Baghdad investigates attacks and seeks control over armed groups
Iraq is also attempting to prevent armed factions operating from its territory from widening the conflict. On Saturday, Hussein said Baghdad was investigating attacks launched from Iraqi territory against neighbouring Gulf countries.
He said Iraq and Iran were jointly investigating an attack on Saudi Arabia which, according to information received by Baghdad, had been launched from inside Iraq near the Iranian border.
The foreign minister also said the government was negotiating with Iran-aligned armed groups to bring their weapons under state control. Prime Minister Al-Zaidi has reached understandings with four factions on the issue, while discussions with two others are continuing.
Iraq had previously postponed the deadline for armed factions to hand over their weapons until June 2027 after encountering resistance to the move.
Hussein has warned that Iraqi groups joining any Iranian retaliation against the United States could have disastrous consequences for the country. He said Iraq was not prepared for another war and did not want its territory to become a battlefield.
The foreign minister has also said that military operations in the region could resume, underscoring Baghdad's concerns about a fresh escalation.
Al-Zaidi assures Trump Iraqi territory will not be used for attacks
On November 5, Al-Zaidi spoke to US President Donald Trump by telephone and assured him that Iraq would not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against neighbouring countries.
According to a statement from the Iraqi prime minister's office, the two leaders discussed regional developments, security concerns and efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading.
Al-Zaidi called for respect for the sovereignty of states and said Iraqi territory must not become a launching point for attacks against neighbouring countries. He also stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to preserve regional stability.
The call came as Baghdad sought to reassure Washington and neighbouring countries that it would prevent armed groups from using Iraq as a base for cross-border attacks.
Fears grow over Iran-aligned factions
Iraqi officials are concerned that armed factions could enter the conflict on Iran's side if hostilities resume, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. Political officials have reportedly raised concerns over information that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is encouraging armed groups to prepare for possible retaliation.
On November 4, Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani as saying that resistance leaders had received a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei urging them to “confront the enemy without limits”.
According to Tasnim, Qaani said the groups had begun acting on the message by issuing a written declaration of complete allegiance.
A political source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Al-Zaidi had briefed the Coordination Framework, an alliance of major Shiite political groups, about the possibility of a US attack on Iran. He also expressed concern that Iran-backed groups linked to the alliance could launch attacks in support of Tehran.
Iraq seeks to avoid being drawn into another conflict
Baghdad's efforts to contain the security threat come against the backdrop of significant economic losses caused by the wider conflict. Hussein has estimated that Iraq lost around $60 billion after disruptions to oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz prevented shipments for roughly four months at the beginning of the war.
Before the disruption, Iraq was exporting approximately 3.3 million to 3.4 million barrels of oil a day. Oil revenues account for around 90% of the country's federal budget, leaving its economy particularly exposed to instability in the region.
Iraq has sought to maintain relations with both Washington and Tehran while resisting pressure to become part of either side's military campaign. Al-Zaidi's assurances to Trump, negotiations with armed factions and the latest border-security measures reflect Baghdad's attempt to contain the risk of escalation and prevent its territory from becoming a base for attacks.