SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iran to distance Iraqi from its conflict with the United States, as
“Iraq has become a victim to the U.S.-Iranian conflict and has been greatly affected as if it is an arena for their conflicts,” al-Sadr said on his official Twitter account on Friday.
Sadr warned the United States and Iran not to involve Iraq in their conflict.
“Therefore, I call on Iran to distance Iraq from its conflict, and I warn the [U.S.] occupier against continuing its conflict … Iraq and the Iraqis are not a party to the conflict,” he added.
In recent days there has been increased concern and vigilance about what Iranian-backed forces might do in the lead up to the anniversary of a Jan. 3 U.S. drone strike in Iraq that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, the official said.
A volley of rockets exploded near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Sunday night, as tensions mount ahead of the anniversary of the U.S. killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani on Iraqi soil.
Following the rocket attack, U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that he would hold Iran responsible if an American was killed.
Trump said the rockets on Sunday were from Iran and “we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq.”
“Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over,” Trump said.
A senior administration official said on Wednesday that top national security officials had agreed on a proposed range of options to present Trump aimed at deterring any attacks on U.S. military or diplomat personnel in Iraq, according to Reuters.
“Each one is designed to be non-escalatory and to deter further attack,” the official said.
U.S. Central Command said that Sunday’s attack was “almost certainly” conducted by an “Iranian-backed Rogue Militia Group.”
Iran foreign minister dismisses Trump’s tweet that Tehran behind attack on U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
