Iraq reaffirms opposition to using its airspace for attacks on Iran

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
9 Nov 2024 22:08

Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji reiterates Baghdad’s firm stance against allowing Iraqi airspace to be used for attacks on neighboring countries.

Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji and Iran’s military attaché to Baghdad Major General Majid Qalipour meet on November 9, 2024. (IRNA)

Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji reaffirmed Baghdad's strong opposition to the use of Iraqi airspace for attacks on Iran or any other regional country.

Araji made this clear during a meeting with Iran's military attaché, Major General Majid Qalipour, on Saturday.

The two officials discussed enhancing security and stability, strengthening border control agreements, and continuing cooperation in the fight against terrorism and smuggling.

According to a statement by the media office of the National Security Advisor, Araji and Qalipour discussed "ways to enhance the security and stability of the two countries and activate the memoranda of understanding to control the borders."

Last month, Iran accused "Israel" of using US-controlled Iraqi airspace to carry out an aggression on Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated, at the time, "The presence of the US military in the region is a reality," adding that the Israeli occupation jets "carried out the recent attack against Iran through the airspace opened up by the United States."

Iraq later submitted a letter of protest to the UN, condemning "Israel's" use of its airspace for the strike.

Sayyed al-Sistani urges need to prevent external intervention in Iraq

Iraq's highest religious authority, Sayyed Ali al-Sistani, emphasized on Monday the need to prevent foreign interferences of all forms, expressing his sorrow over the international community and its institutions' inability to impose effective solutions to stop the Israeli onslaughts in Gaza and Lebanon.

Sayyed al-Sistani hosted the United Nations secretary-general representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Mohamed al-Hassan, along with his accompanying delegation.

In a statement issued by Sayyed al-Sistani's office, it was noted that Sayyed al-Sistani provided his guests with a brief explanation regarding the international mission's tasks and the role it aims to play in the coming period. He welcomed the UN's presence in Iraq and wished its mission success in fulfilling its duties.

Sayyed al-Sistani added that "Iraqis, especially the aware elites, should take lessons from the experiences they have gone through and exert their utmost efforts to overcome their failures, working diligently toward achieving a better future for their country, where everyone enjoys security, stability, progress, and prosperity."

He also stressed that this cannot be achieved without developing scientific and practical plans for managing the country based on the principles of competence and integrity in assuming positions of responsibility, preventing external interventions in all their forms, and upholding the rule of law.

Regarding the volatile situation in the region, Sayyed al-Sistani expressed "deep sorrow for the ongoing tragedy in Lebanon and Gaza and profound regret over the international community's and its institutions' failure to impose effective solutions to stop it, or at the very least, to protect civilians from the harsh aggressions perpetrated by the Israeli entity."