According to a senior Iraqi Foreign Ministry official on Monday, Iraq has been stepping up its diplomatic efforts to stop what it perceives to be an Israeli invasion of its country. According to the official, who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on condition of anonymity, Baghdad was in contact with one Arab nation that has close links to Israel and five Western countries in order to defuse tensions and prevent any unfriendly actions.
Following Israel’s recent protest to the UN Security Council, there has been a rush of diplomatic activity. Last week, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called for “decisive action” against Iraqi militias supported by Iran, claiming that they were attacking Israeli sites with rockets. Iraq, on the other hand, has flatly disputed these allegations, charging Israel with creating a pretext for war.
“The Zionist entity is using weak excuses to justify its aggressive intentions,” Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani said on Sunday, during a speech at the foreign ministry in Baghdad. “Iraq must never become a launchpad for any attacks,” he added, doubling down on Baghdad’s stance against being dragged into broader regional conflicts.
Under Al-Sudani’s direction, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his closest advisers have been working nonstop behind the scenes. Convincing powerful Western nations like the US, Britain, and France to oppose any Israeli military action against Iraq is the main goal. According to the anonymous official, these nations have expressed opposition to Israeli strikes but are also pressuring Iraq to clamp down on Iran-linked groups accused of launching drone attacks on Israel.
Iraq maintains that its territory has not been used in these attacks, pointing instead to Syria as the source. Yet, Western policymakers claim that the perpetrators are Iraqi-contingent militias and have called upon Baghdad to show decisiveness as to whether the attacks originate within Iraq or from Syria along the border.
On initiating a further level to the diplomatic initiative, it is reported that Iraq has requested assistance from an Arab state traditionally friendly with Israel. This undeclared Arab country has been requested to act as a mediator and to stop the escalation, that may turn into a regional war.
The Iraqi official says Baghdad warned an Israeli attack could create chaos and lead to destabilization of the whole region. If this be true, the matter may run itself into a much greater war, the man remarked.
While diplomatic contacts are. Iraqi is not sitting on its hands. Bases, weapons, and other facilities of the militia groups in the country are currently moving under cover in secret, as a security measure in case of any Israeli air strikes.
Sami Al-Jizani, one of the most influential people of Iraq’s Hikma Movement, confirmed Iraq’s commitment to Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups and rejected any idea that Iraqi parties would withdraw support for their allies. The Palestinian question and the Lebanese question will still be a national priority for Iraq,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Sabhan Mula Chiyad, a political advisor to the government, told reporters in Baghdad that there’s no evidence linking Iraq to the recent attacks on Israel. “Israel has been making these claims for some time now, saying attacks are coming from the east. That could mean Syria or Jordan—not just Iraq,” he explained. Chiyad accused Israel of looking for excuses to widen the ongoing conflict.
Arab League Backs Iraq
Iraq’s concerns were also echoed at the Arab League Council meeting in Cairo on Sunday. The council released a statement criticizing Israel’s “aggressive actions” in the area, including its threats toward Iraq. The Iraqi foreign ministry praised the statement calling it a needed step to make Israel answer for its actions.
Tension remains high, with Iraq cautioning that an attack on its land would affect regional stability. For now, Baghdad uses diplomacy to ease the crisis, but the threat of possible conflict hangs over the situation.
An Iraqi official summed it up: “We are doing everything we can to prevent war, but we can’t control what others choose to do. This is a dangerous moment for the region.”
