US Secretary of State Rubio speaks to Iraqi PM amid tensions with Iran

Al JazeeraCenterEN 3 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 26, 2026 at 09:40 AM

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Sunday, January 26, 2026, amid rising US-Iran tensions and expectations of a new government in Iraq. The call followed the transfer of ISIL detainees from Syria to Iraq, a move the US commended. Rubio urged al-Sudani to maintain distance from Iran, emphasizing Iraq's potential as a stabilizing force in the Middle East. The US military recently moved 150 detainees from Syria to Iraq, with plans to transfer up to 7,000 in total, marking a shift in US strategy in Syria after the ouster of President Assad. The call also comes as Nouri al-Maliki is expected to return as prime minister.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tehran 40% Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) ×250% Nouri al-Maliki ×250% Washington ×250% US Department of State 60% Syria ×470% ISIL (ISIS) ×370% Iran ×780% Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ×380% Marco Rubio ×390% United States ×790% Iraq ×990%

Keywords

us-iran tensions 90% iraq 80% isil (isis) 70% marco rubio 70% mohammed shia al-sudani 70% syria 60% detainee transfer 60% middle east 50% us foreign policy 50% nouri al-maliki 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

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Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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us-iran tensions iraq isil (isis)marco rubio mohammed shia al-sudani syria detainee transfer middle east us foreign policy nouri al-maliki

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