ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Sunday held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, offering Baghdad’s assistance to Tehran as conflict with Israel continues.

During the call, Sudani expressed “Iraq's solidarity, both government and people, with Iran,” while voicing his country’s readiness “to provide all necessary assistance to address the effects of the aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” according to a statement by Sudani’s office.

Israel, in the early hours of Friday morning, initiated a devastating campaign of airstrikes against targets across Iran using Iraqi airspace, with the attacks hitting myriad military facilities and nuclear sites across the country, killing at least nine nuclear scientists and over 20 high-ranking Iranian military figures.

The strikes prompted retaliatory Iranian strikes on Tel Aviv, leading to a raging military conflict that has seen the two countries trade strikes and suffer immense damage.

Sudani called Iran’s response to the Israeli attacks “a source of pride,” according to Iranian state media, adding that he also noted that they have lodged an “official complaint to the Security Council, and legal, political, and diplomatic follow-up is underway in this regard.”

Iraq’s airspace was used by Israel on Friday to reach Tehran, prompting Iraq to file a complaint against the violation of its airspace. 

AFP previously reported that Iraq had received “positive” promises from Iran in regards to Tehran not targeting US interests and bases across Iraqi territory, citing a top Iraqi security official, with another official revealing that Baghdad had also asked the United States “not to allow Israeli aircraft to violate Iraqi airspace."

Iraq’s proximity and close ties to Iran have rendered the country unable to strike a balance between the US and Iran in terms of international relations, with Baghdad facing mounting pressure from the US to limit its ties to Tehran, including the disarming of Iran-backed militia groups.

The US State Department announced it was shrinking its diplomatic missions in several countries in the Middle East and authorized American dependents and non-military personnel to leave the region after an Iranian threat that Tehran would target their interests and bases if Washington decides to pursue “aggression”.