Media Monitor

Iraqi PM advisor suggests agreement with Iran to prevent armed factions leading Iraq to war

BAGHDAD – Sabhan Mulla Jayad, a political advisor to Iraq’s prime minister, emphasized on Sunday that resolving the issue of Iraq’s armed factions will likely require a broader regional agreement coordinated with Iran. Jayad clarified that these factions, which account for less than 2% of Iraq’s political forces, would not push the country into conflict. He reaffirmed Iraq’s neutral stance, aligning with Iran in avoiding being drawn into war, and noted Iraq’s ongoing humanitarian efforts in Palestine and Lebanon.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which consists of several Shiite militias aligned with Iran, has claimed responsibility for recent drone strikes on Israeli targets. These militias are part of the larger Axis of Resistance, a regional alliance that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and various militias across the Middle East.

Excerpts from his interview with Al-Rasheed TV:

So far, Iraq continues to serve as a support front for relief efforts in Palestine and Lebanon, in addition to the diplomatic and political path through which we try to influence events in the region. We are heard by all parties due to our distance from bloc politics, and we are eager to play a central and mediating role in the region, to become the “Switzerland of the Middle East.”

Iraq has not caught its breath since 1980 up until two years ago. It needs more stability to restore its natural position in its region, but the armed factions within it are not detached from their regional connections, although they are less active compared to others in other countries.

From the very beginning of the war, we have supported confining the conflict to the occupied Palestinian territories and are working hard to prevent the war from expanding. The Palestinian cause experienced stagnation for a long time during the peace process, but the Al-Aqsa Flood operation brought it back strongly, which pushed Israel, backed by the U.S. and the Western world, to commit atrocities against civilians in a brutal manner.

The Palestinian effort has been based on the idea of “volunteering” since the beginning, from 1965 until the Oslo Accords in 1992. Iraqi and Syrian volunteers formed the second-largest group among Arab volunteers in Palestine, after those from the Maghreb countries. The door is still open for those who want to volunteer on the Syrian front, and we do not oppose this. However, targeting American interests in Iraq has caused us great embarrassment as a state.

The resolution of the armed factions issue must come within the framework of a regional equation, as it is not solely an Iraqi issue. These factions are present in several countries as part of what is known as the axis of resistance led by the Islamic Republic, and thus the solutions are similar across the region and may even happen simultaneously. This should be done in agreement with Iran.

The fireball that moved from Gaza towards Lebanon was exploited by the Israeli entity, either with the understanding or consultation with the United States, to draw Iran into the war. It has carried out a series of assassinations, even within Tehran, but Iran understood the game, and its foreign minister stated, “We will not fall into the trap.”

Iraq will not fall into the “trap,” and our current position is one of pride and honor, enjoying the support of the religious authority and the State Administration Coalition. The recent Iranian attack clarified that none of the parties want a full-scale war, as evidenced by Israel’s hesitation in responding to Iran. Therefore, the proxy war must be ended, as it is unnecessary if none of the parties want a full-scale war.

The Iraqi government condemned the threat of using the energy file in the war. We spoke with the axis of resistance about the dangers of this, as we are the party most affected by it. So why choose this option if none of the parties want a full-scale war?

The armed factions do not represent 1% or 2% of Iraq’s political forces. Our stance on targeting American interests is clear, and we described the attack on the embassy as a “terrorist act.”

If war is imposed on us, we will not surrender, although making the decision to go to war in Iraq is extremely difficult for two reasons. The first is the constitution, and the second is the consensual democracy that has governed the country for twenty years, as it requires the approval of the prime minister, the president, and a two-thirds vote in parliament. This is difficult given the large political division in the Iraqi scene.