PM Al-Sudani warns against dragging Iraq into regional war

2026-03-03 - 18:14

Shafaq News- Baghdad Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani said Tuesday that only the Iraqi state has the authority to decide on war and peace, vowing to confront any party seeking to pull the country into regional conflict. Chairing a cabinet session, Al-Sudani said Iraq’s airspace and waters “must not be used in ongoing hostilities” and that the armed forces “remain tasked with protecting state institutions and foreign missions.” He called on political factions to unify their messaging and counter rumors, while directing ministries to secure food supplies and prevent price manipulation. The cabinet authorized the Oil Ministry to manage potential disruptions to crude and fuel exports if the Strait of Hormuz is closed, signaling concern over economic fallout from escalating tensions in the Gulf. Earlier today, several Iran-aligned Iraqi armed factions informed government officials and political leaders within the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework that they will continue operations targeting US and Israeli interests inside and outside Iraq. They claimed it had carried out 67 operations over the past 48 hours in two Iraqi provinces and four other countries, targeting the US “occupation bases” and interests in the region.