Iraqi Parliament Deputy: Israel's presence in Iraq is an excuse
Baghdad has summoned the Islamic Republic's ambassador and the United States is announcing the strengthening of the missile defense system in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament said in an interview with Deutsche Welle that the IRGC's action has no meaning other than an attack on the territory of the neighboring country.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the Islamic Republic's ambassador in Baghdad to deliver a note of protest over Iran's missile attack on Erbil. On the other hand, the US and Egyptian State Departments condemned the Iranian missile attack. The US said it was strengthening its partners' anti-missile defense systems.
At 1 a.m. on March 13, 12 ballistic missiles were fired from the east and beyond the borders of Iraq towards the new US consulate building in Erbil.
Shortly after this attack, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' public relations department announced that it had targeted Israel's "strategic center" in Erbil, located in northern Iraq, with its "powerful and pinpoint missiles," citing the reason for this action as "retaliation for Israel's recent crimes."
On March 8, Iran officially confirmed that two Revolutionary Guard officers were killed in the latest Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Damascus.
Iraqi MP Soran Omar told Deutsche Welle Farsi: "The Iraqi Kurdistan region is a land of coexistence of different religions and ethnicities. The IRGC says that with this missile attack it is seeking revenge for its slain commanders in Syria. If that were the case, it should have fired the missiles elsewhere."
In an interview with Deutsche Welle Farsi, Iraqi Parliament Deputy Speaker Shahwan Abdullah condemned the Islamic Republic's missile attack on Erbil and said: "The Revolutionary Guard Corps has taken responsibility for the attack. This officially means Iran's attack on the territory of a neighboring country."
Regarding the IRGC’s claim of targeting “Israel’s strategic center,” the Iraqi parliament deputy told Deutsche Welle Farsi: “Israel has no presence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Official Iraqi authorities have repeatedly emphasized this point. Israel’s presence is just an excuse to weaken the autonomous government of the region. This Iranian action is frightening and dangerous.”
Referring to the official note from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry to explain Iran, Shahwan Abdullah noted that these attacks will lead to regional and global reactions.
The Iraqi National Security Council, chaired by Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi, has announced that it has requested a clear and transparent explanation from Iran through diplomatic channels regarding the missile barrage on Erbil.
The Kurdistan Regional Government Council of Ministers also announced in a statement that the "cowardly" missile attack targeted civilian areas under the pretext of targeting an Israeli facility near the US consulate.
Strengthening Iraq and the Kurdistan Region's missile defense
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, while condemning the IRGC's missile attacks on Erbil, said that the US is collecting evidence to understand exactly where the target of the attack was.
He added that he is in talks with the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to strengthen their anti-missile defenses.
According to Sullivan, no Americans were injured in the attack.
The US State Department called on Iran to immediately cease its attacks and respect Iraq's territorial integrity in a statement. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry, in a strongly worded statement without naming the Islamic Republic, condemned the missile attack on Erbil, calling it "cowardly and terrorist."
Iranian missiles landed near the new US consulate building, damaging at least 200 homes and a local television transmitter, according to officials in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
Source: DW
