Iraq says it rejects use of its territory to launch attacks against neighbours

ISTANBUL

Iraq on Monday reiterated its rejection of using its territory for launching attacks against its neighbours.

This came during a meeting in Baghdad on Monday between Undersecretary of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom and Kuwaiti Ambassador Mohammad Hassan Al-Zaman.

"Iraq rejects the logic of war in general, and in particular the use of its territory as a launching pad for targeting neighbouring countries,” Bahr Al-Uloom said in comments carried by a Foreign Ministry statement.

He stressed that the Iraqi government is taking all necessary measures “to pursue the perpetrators of any acts that harm Iraq’s interests and its relations with neighbouring countries.”

The Kuwaiti diplomat, for his part, conveyed his country’s concerns regarding Iranian attacks on the Gulf nation.

According to the statement, the ambassador provided information about attacks originating from Iraqi territory, calling on Baghdad to intervene to end these attacks “to preserve the fraternal relations between the two brotherly and neighbouring countries.”

The statement said the two sides agreed that both Iraq and Kuwait are directly impacted by the ongoing regional escalation, and underlined the need for collaborative efforts to ensure regional security and manage the current crisis.

Regional escalation flared up since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran since Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.