Relationship dossier
Iraq
United Kingdom
Relationship assessment
Security cooperation and political engagement coexist with the enduring legacy of the 2003 invasion.
Iraq toward United Kingdom
+35Iraqi governments have maintained diplomatic and political engagement with the United Kingdom and cooperated with British forces and the wider international coalition against ISIS. The relationship is also shaped by Iraqi concerns about sovereignty and the continuing consequences of the 2003 invasion.
United Kingdom toward Iraq
+40The United Kingdom participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequently supported Iraqi security and reconstruction. It later contributed to the international coalition against ISIS, coordinating military action with Iraqi authorities.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship combines sustained post-2003 political and security engagement, including cooperation against ISIS, with the profound and lasting impact of the United Kingdom’s participation in the invasion of Iraq. That history remains a major source of friction within an otherwise active bilateral relationship.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Iraq and the United Kingdom have maintained diplomatic relations alongside substantial security and political engagement since 2003. The United Kingdom participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and later joined the international coalition against ISIS, working with Iraqi authorities on security and stabilization. The legacy of the invasion and continuing disputes over Iraq’s sovereignty and regional security complicate an otherwise cooperative relationship.
Areas of tension
- The legacy and consequences of the 2003 invasion, including disputes over its legality and impact on Iraqi sovereignty.
- Iraqi concerns about foreign military presence and the limits of external involvement in its security.
Key developments
The United Kingdom participated in the invasion of Iraq alongside the United States and other coalition partners.
The United Kingdom joined the international coalition against ISIS and carried out military operations in coordination with Iraqi authorities.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of recent bilateral economic, security and development agreements are unclear.
- The extent of current Iraqi and British coordination on regional security is uncertain.