°®Âþµº

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has dismissed speculation about regime change in Iraq, rejecting any links between Syria’s crisis and Iraq’s political future as "delusions".

His remarks, delivered on Saturday during a memorial event for the 2003 assassination of Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, underscored Iraq’s sovereignty and commitment to constitutional democratic processes.

"Iraq is a sovereign, democratic state where political transitions occur peacefully," Al-Sudani declared. "No external party has the right to impose changes on our country." He added that linking developments in Syria to Iraq’s political framework is "not up for debate".

Al-Sudani highlighted his government’s progress, claiming a 60 percent completion rate on reforms, including economic restructuring, administrative improvements, and provincial council elections.

"We have worked tirelessly to eliminate inherited constraints that limit Iraq’s global standing," he said, emphasising ongoing efforts to address security sector reforms and reduce external dependencies.

The prime minister also reaffirmed Iraq’s regional cooperation strategy, describing his approach as "productive diplomacy" aimed at positioning Iraq as a hub for economic partnerships.Ìý

Criticism

Political analyst Kadhim al-Juhaishi described the comments as a strong assertion of sovereignty, but warned they could oversimplify Iraq’s complex relationship with the United States.

"The Prime Minister’s position reflects Iraq’s independence, but it overlooks the long-standing dissatisfaction of the United States with Iraq’s governance since 2003," Al-Juhaishi told °®Âþµº. He cited corruption, economic mismanagement, and unresolved disputes with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) as persistent issues that have fuelled calls for change.

Al-Juhaishi cautioned that Al-Sudani’s remarks could be interpreted as a veiled threat to the US, given Washington’s significant leverage over Iraq’s economy and airspace.Ìý

"Such declarations might harm Iraq’s interests rather than protect them," he said, suggesting that US pressure could manifest as sanctions against corrupt officials or efforts to reorganise Iraq’s political landscape.

He described the remarks as "very dangerous," particularly as Iraq faces heightened scrutiny with the upcoming inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump.Ìý

"Alienating a critical international partner like the US could exacerbate Iraq’s challenges," Al-Juhaishi said.

Commenting on the controversy, political researcher Yahya Al-Kubaisi criticised Al-Sudani’s rhetoric, writing on X: "This is exactly what Comrade Bashar al-Assad used to say!"

Meanwhile, Iyad Al-Anbar, a professor at the University of Kufa, questioned the prime minister's decision to address regime change speculation.

"If such discussions are merely 'delusions and wishes of the incapacitated,' why dedicate part of your speech to them?" Al-Anbar wrote on X.

Calls for unity, stability

Other Iraqi leaders also weighed in, calling for national cohesion and reform. Ammar al-Hakim, head of the National Wisdom Movement, proposed establishing a regional anti-terrorism centre in Baghdad.

"Iraq’s stability depends on strengthening unity, combating corruption, and ensuring equitable resource distribution," Al-Hakim said.

Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of Israel’s alleged attempts to destabilise Iraq, calling it part of a "long-standing project by the Zionist entity to weaken the region". He claimed the plan, outlined in 1967 and 1982, aimed to fragment neighbouring countries into "small cantons" to prevent alliances or resistance.

"What happened in Syria could be the prelude to continuing the process of dividing the region’s countries and weakening them into small states incapable of standing against Zionism," Al-Maliki said, stressing that such plans would ultimately fail.