Iraq's foreign ministry issues a statement
Arab League condemns Iranian attack on Erbil, initiates diplomatic and international actions
January 17 — The Arab League announced on Wednesday it had adopted a resolution condemning Iranian airstrikes on Erbil and supporting Iraq’s just stance in safeguarding its security and sovereignty.
A statement from the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained:
The Arab League strongly condemned the Iranian bombing that Erbil faced on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. The Arab League adopted a seven-point resolution on the matter after Iraq called for an emergency session on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
The resolution strongly denounced the bombing that the Kurdistan Region of Iraq endured, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and the destruction of civilian sites. The attack was considered a blatant aggression against Iraq’s sovereignty and the security of its people, constituting a serious violation of the principles of good neighborliness, laws, treaties, and international norms.
The resolution also condemned all justifications and excuses presented by the Iranian government, which do not grant any country the right to violate the sovereignty of another state and endanger the lives of its citizens, contrary to the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.
The resolution held Iran responsible for all consequences of this violation and its aftermath, considering it a serious precedent that, if repeated, could disturb peace and security in the region entirely.
The resolution affirmed the unity and sovereignty of Iraqi territory against any external aggression or violation, emphasizing Iraq’s right as a founding member of the Arab League and a member of the United Nations to resort to all diplomatic and legal means guaranteed by international law, the UN Charter, and the Arab League Charter in responding to these violations.
The resolution called on the Arab members of the United Nations Security Council, in coordination with the Republic of Iraq, to gather the necessary support for issuing resolutions condemning the aggression as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a breach of the principles of good neighborliness, international laws, and norms.
In addition, the Arab League instructed the Arab Ambassadors’ Council in New York, Geneva, Vienna, Brussels, Washington, London, Paris, Beijing, and Moscow to forward the resolution to the foreign ministries of those countries, as well as the international organizations present in those locations. The League also requested the Secretary-General of the Arab League to monitor this matter, address the member states of the United Nations Security Council, and the UN Secretary-General regarding the content of this resolution. Additionally, it called for following up on the complaint submitted by Iraq to the Security Council and presenting a report to the upcoming session of the Arab League.