AFP: Iraq urges Iran to avoid targeting US forces on its territory

BAGHDAD — Iraq has asked Tehran not to launch any strikes against U.S. military interests on Iraqi soil, a senior security official said Saturday, as tensions between Iran and Israel continued to escalate following a wave of Israeli airstrikes.

Israel launched a wide-ranging military operation early Friday under the name Operation Rising Lion, targeting more than 200 sites in Iran, including nuclear facilities. Iranian officials confirmed the deaths of several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. At least 78 people were reported killed, and hundreds wounded. In retaliation, Iran fired dozens of missiles at Israel, some of which reached Tel Aviv. Israeli officials reported three deaths and about 100 injuries.

The Iraqi official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the request came amid fears that Iraq could be drawn into a broader conflict.

“The request was made. They promised us positive things,” the official told AFP, adding that Tehran had expressed understanding of Baghdad’s concerns.

On Friday, Iraq called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council in response to the Israeli strikes, describing the operation as a violation of international law and a threat to global stability.

“The Iraqi government reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principles of sovereignty, non-use of force, and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” said government spokesman Basim Alawadi.

Although Iraq maintains close ties with Iran, it is also a key partner of the United States, which has about 2,500 troops stationed in the country as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State group.

Meanwhile, influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr warned against Iraq becoming entangled in the conflict, urging restraint and diplomacy.

“What is important—most important—is that the land of the Infallibles and their holy sites in Iraq remain distant from this war. Iraq and its people do not need new wars,” he stated.

Before the Israeli strikes, Iranian officials had warned they could target bases hosting U.S. forces in the region if nuclear talks with Washington collapsed or if broader conflict broke out.

Throughout the war in Gaza, which began in October 2023, Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq and Syria have repeatedly launched rockets and drones at U.S. military sites in retaliation for Israel’s operations against Hamas.

Several Iran-backed factions in Iraq have called for the expulsion of U.S. troops. Kataeb Hezbollah, a powerful militia, warned Friday that “additional wars in the region” could follow if tensions escalated.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi described the intensifying conflict as “a long, comprehensive, and cumulative war.” In a post on his official Facebook page, he said it pitted “a faithful, stubborn, patient, and strong nation” against what he called “a tyrannical, usurping, and vanishing enemy.”

Speaker of Parliament Mahmoud al-Mashhadani also condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them “criminal acts in violation of international charters.” He urged the United Nations and the Security Council to take “immediate action to condemn” the attacks, warning of the potential for further violence “that will claim the lives of innocent civilians.”

With reporting from AFP.