Iraq summons Iran envoy to protest air strikes on military bases

The Iraqi foreign ministry announced yesterday that it will summon the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad to protest against the Iranian missile strikes on two military bases where US forces are present, Anadolu reported.

Foreign ministry spokesperson, Ahmad Al-Sahaf said in a statement that “the Iraqi territories and bases have been hit by Iranian missile strikes targeting camps that include Iraqi and non-Iraqi forces”, adding that the ministry rejects the attacks and “considers them a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty”.

The statement called on all parties concerned “to exercise self-restraint and work to reduce tension in the region” and not turn Iraq into a battlefield to settle their scores.

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“Iraq is an independent country, and its internal security is of the utmost importance. We will not allow Iraq to be an arena of conflict, a corridor to carry out attacks or a base to hurt neighbouring countries,” it added.

The statement came after the Iranian Revolutionary Guards launched airstrikes against two military bases housing US and foreign forces in Iraq in retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s Quds Force Commander, Qassem Soleimani, in a US drone attack near Baghdad airport late last week.