The Iraqi government is actively working to prevent the country from being drawn into the ongoing confrontation between Iran and Israel, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported, citing a senior Iraqi security official.
According to the source, all Iran-backed groups in Iraq are cooperating with the government to ensure the country remains on the sidelines of the conflict. Baghdad has also requested that Tehran refrain from targeting US facilities on Iraqi soil—a request that was met with a positive response, the official noted.
As AFP points out, Iraq maintains close ties with both Iran and the United States, the latter being a key backer of Israel. Concerned about the possibility of the conflict spilling over into its territory, Iraq has turned to diplomatic channels. The Iraqi authorities have urged Washington to block Israeli fighter jets from using Iraqi airspace for strikes against Iran.
Previously, the Iran-aligned Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, which operates in Iraq, threatened to target US military bases in the region if American forces intervened in the Iran-Israel conflict. However, the group’s leader, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, stated that Iran "does not need military support to confront Israel" and is "fully capable of handling the situation on its own."
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: MohammadHuzam/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS