Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani expressed regret over the Arab League foreign ministers' statement issued after an emergency meeting regarding the Iranian shelling of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan.
In a statement on the ministry's Telegram channel, Kanani defended Iran's actions, stating, "The Islamic Republic's actions were based on the country's legitimate right to confront terrorist elements in Erbil linked to the Zionist regime (Israel - TASS)." He emphasized that these elements threatened Iran's national security, asserting that Iran will remain steadfast in deterring threats to its national security.
Kanani expressed hope that the Iraqi government would fully fulfill its commitments under the security agreement signed between the two countries last year. Additionally, he called on the Arab League to use its capabilities in the political, legal, and international arenas to address what he termed as "brutal attacks on the Gaza Strip and the genocide of the Palestinian people by the Zionist regime."
On January 17, the Arab League stated that it did not find the explanations provided by Iran regarding the strikes on Erbil satisfactory. It described the attack as a "blatant aggression against Iraqi sovereignty" and a "gross violation of the principles of good neighborliness and international law." The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had attacked several sites in Erbil with ballistic missiles on January 16, citing a response to recent terrorist attacks inside Iran. They claimed the destruction of what they referred to as the "main spy headquarters of the Mossad (Israeli intelligence - TASS) in Iraqi Kurdistan."
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: sipo/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS