Maliki warns of ‘serious consequences’ as Israel-Iran conflict enters fifth day

BAGHDAD — Nouri Al-Maliki, former Iraqi PM and head of the State of Law Coalition, met with Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Mohammad Kazem Al Sadeq on Tuesday to discuss what both described as “Zionist aggression” against Iran.

A statement from Al-Maliki’s media office said the former prime minister condemned the attacks, calling them “a dangerous escalation that portends serious consequences threatening regional and international peace.”

Al-Maliki emphasized the need for regional cooperation and called for “dialogue and understanding” as a solution to crises. He also expressed Iraq’s support for the Iranian people “in confronting any aggression.”

Few days ago, Al-Maliki called on what he described as “the Islamic nation” to stand with Iran in its confrontation with Israel, describing the conflict as a broader struggle between “the path of Ali and the path of Zionism.” Ali Ibn Abi Talib was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and is recognized as the fourth caliph in Sunni Islam and the first imam in Shia Islam.

Statement from Al-Maliki’s media office:

The head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri Al-Maliki, received today at his office the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al Sadeq.

The meeting discussed developments in the regional situation, particularly the recent Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the direct threat it poses to the security and stability of the region.

Al-Maliki strongly condemned this brutal aggression, stressing that such provocative actions represent a dangerous escalation that portends serious consequences threatening regional and international peace, and contradict international law and the United Nations Charter.

Al-Maliki emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation among the countries of the region to confront common challenges, and the necessity of adopting dialogue and understanding as a means to resolve crises. He affirmed Iraq’s support for the Iranian people in confronting any aggression that threatens their security and sovereignty.

For his part, the Iranian ambassador appreciated Al-Maliki’s position in supporting Iran’s right to defend its security. He affirmed his country’s keenness to enhance bilateral relations and intensify joint consultations in light of current developments.