Iraq is taking diplomatic actions toward West, Iraqi official tells Qatari newspaper

Last Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sent a letter to the president of the UN Security Council, calling for immediate action against the Iranian-backed Iraqi militias.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF NOVEMBER 29, 2024 18:36

Members of an Iraqi Shi'ite armed group sit in a vehicle after an attack by a drone strike on an Iran-backed militia headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq January 4, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/AHMED SAAD)

Iraq is taking high-level diplomatic actions toward Western countries, in addition to an unnamed Arab country, which reportedly has ties to Israel, an official in the Iraqi Foreign Ministry told the London-based Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Monday. 

These actions are reportedly being taken to prevent Israel from striking inside Iraq. 

Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein’s diplomatic maneuvers coincide with efforts to transfer and evacuate buildings belonging to armed Iraqi militant factions in anticipation of an Israeli attack. These buildings are based in several parts of Iraq and include weapons depots and sleeping quarters. 

The official told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the United States, Britain, and France all oppose any Israeli attacks against Iraq and, at the same time, are also working to stop Iraqi aggression against Israel. 

According to the Iraqi official, although Iraq has pointed out that the drone attacks against Israel are coming from Syria, the West considers this point irrelevant given that the attacks are coming from Iranian-backed Iraqi factions, and their headquarters are inside Iraq. 

Protesters and militia fighters throw back a tear gas canister used by U.S. Embassy security men during a protest to condemn air strikes on bases belonging to Hashd al-Shaabi (paramilitary forces), outside the embassy in Baghdad, Iraq January 1, 2020. (credit: THAIER AL-SUDANI/REUTERS)

The official noted that the Western countries have requested that Iraq play a greater role in pressuring the Iraq militias to stop attacking Israel. 

Continuing attacks

These Iraqi militias have stated they will continue their drone attacks against Israel in spite of the ceasefire with Lebanon, sources told Hezbollah-affiliate newspaper Al-Akhbar on Thursday. However, there have been no attacks since Sunday, according to the Washington Institute report “Tracking Anti-US and Anti-Israel Strikes From Iraq and Syria During the Gaza Crisis.”

Last Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sent a letter to the president of the UN Security Council, calling for immediate action against the Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. He called on the Iraqi government to “prevent the use of its territory as a base for attacks against other nations.” Sa’ar further warned that Israel has the right to defend itself under the UN Charter.

Following this warning, drone attacks on Israel from Iraqi militias significantly declined, according to the Washington Institute report.