The Iraqi government’s spokesperson has leveled accusations against the United States, asserting that it violated international law and propagated falsehoods regarding the circumstances surrounding its retaliatory strikes prompted by a recent attack in Jordan.
According to Bassem Al-Awadi, the spokesperson for the Iraqi government, these strikes resulted in the death of 16 individuals, including civilians, and left 25 wounded. Al-Awadi took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express these concerns on a Saturday.
Al-Awadi contended that the U.S. engaged in a deliberate act of deception, manipulating facts and falsely claiming prior coordination to carry out an aggressive military action.
Iraqi Government Accuses US of Falsehoods (Credits: Wikipedia)
This manipulation, according to him, was intended to mislead international public opinion and absolve the U.S. of legal responsibility for what he deemed a “rejected crime” under international laws.
He emphasized that Iraq firmly rejects the transformation of its territories into a battleground for settling scores and stressed that the nation’s sovereignty and land should not be manipulated for exchanging messages between adversaries or showcasing military prowess.
The government spokesperson warned that the aggressive strike initiated by the U.S. places the security of Iraq and the broader region perilously close to the abyss. He argued that such actions are counterproductive to the efforts aimed at establishing the necessary stability in the region.
Al-Awadi pledged that Iraq would deploy all necessary efforts guided by moral, national, and constitutional responsibility to protect its land, cities, and the lives of its citizens against any form of armed forces.
The U.S. instigated the initial round of airstrikes on groups supported by Iran in both Syria and Iraq in response to a recent attack on a Jordanian base, resulting in the deaths of three U.S. service members.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) disclosed that the airstrikes commenced on a Friday evening, targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups.
The statement from CENTCOM revealed that U.S. military forces targeted more than 85 locations, utilizing various aircraft, including long-range bombers dispatched from the United States. These airstrikes deployed over 125 precision munitions in their execution.
Addressing the purpose behind these strikes, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby clarified that the objective was twofold: reducing the capabilities of the targeted groups and conveying a message to Iran and its supported entities to cease attacks against Americans.
Kirby emphasized that the chosen targets aligned with this criteria and underscored that the U.S. was not seeking a war with Iran.
