THE Iraqi government has condemned the missiles attacks ordered by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran against the United States military bases located on its land.
“Iraq refuses any violation of its sovereignty and attacks on its lands,” said Adil Abdul Mahdi, Iraq’s Prime Minister in a statement.
The Iranian government had lauched dozens of missiles at two US bases in Iraq on Wednesday in retaliation to an earlier airstrike authorised by US President Donald Trump that led to the death of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.
Mahdi distanced the country from the Iran early morning ballistic events stating Iraq only received “an official verbal message” from Iran shortly after midnight and prior to the missile attacks.
“Shortly after midnight on Wednesday 8/1/2020, we received an official verbal message from the Islamic Republic of Iran that the Iranian response to the assassination of the martyr Qasem Soleimani had begun or would begin shortly, and that the strike would be limited to the whereabouts of the US military in Iraq without giving the exact location,” Mahdi said.
He said immediately the information came in, the government warned the Iraqi military to take necessary precautions.
“Abdul Mahdi was making the necessary internal and external contacts in an attempt to contain the situation and not enter into an open-ended war, his office said, adding: “Iraq and the region will be among the first victims,” part of the Iraq government statement read.
But between 1:45 am and 2:15 am local, the missiles hit Iraq.
The Iraq Prime Minister said the government would continue its efforts to prevent escalation.
“This serious crisis threatening the region and the world with a devastating war,” he said.