كيف تتعامل العراق مع تداعيات الحرب الإيرانية - الإسرائيلية ؟

The Iraqi government is trying to deal with its internal political crisis caused by military factions with very cautious diplomacy after their threats to target American interests.

A political source quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as saying: "The threat from the factions to target American interests in the region constitutes a dangerous escalation that places Iraq at the heart of a complex regional equation, especially in light of the escalating tension between the United States and the Iranian axis." He added that these threats not only imply potential military strikes but also warn of a return to a state of security instability in Iraq and dragging it into a regional conflict that it is better off without.

According to the source who spoke to "Okaz": al-Sudani's position is summarized in that Iraq, which is striving to restore its diplomatic role and activate its sovereignty, finds itself threatened with becoming a battleground for proxy conflicts, which endangers its economy and internal security and negatively affects the investment environment and international relations.

The source stated that al-Sudani sees the Iraqi factions' demand to close the American embassy in Baghdad as carrying deep political and security implications; on one hand, it reflects an escalation in the anti-American rhetoric, and on the other hand, it may be a prelude to imposing a new reality that weakens Washington's presence in Iraq. Although the embassy is heavily fortified, the demand to close it at this timing suggests that it could be a real target, especially if an open Iranian-American confrontation erupts.

He indicated that the Iraqi Prime Minister believes that such statements and threats weaken the prestige of the Iraqi state, reduce its sovereign maneuvering margin, and reveal the fragility of the internal position in the face of armed influence, emphasizing that what Iraq needs today is to prioritize national interest and prevent its territory from becoming a battleground for settling international scores.

Meanwhile, the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament denied the use of Iraqi territory by Israel to attack Iran, reaffirming Iraq's position against its land being a launchpad for aggression against neighboring countries.

Committee member Yasser Watout stated in a statement: "The Iranian accusations that some Israeli bombing operations originated from within Iraqi territory are incorrect, and there is no such information."

He added that Iraq has never and will never accept being a launchpad for aggression against any neighboring countries or the region, announcing that military and security leaders, along with the air force and aerial reconnaissance, confirm that there is no launch point for bombing Iranian territory from Iraqi land.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharib Abadi announced that some recent attacks targeting Iran originated from within Iraqi territory, calling on the Iraqi government to take responsibility for preventing its airspace from being used to attack neighboring countries.