UPDATE - Israeli letter to UN ‘pretext for aggression’ against Iraq: Baghdad

ADDS CONVENING OF MEETING OF IRAQ’S NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTERIAL COUNCIL, CHANGES DECK

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani warned Tuesday that a letter sent by Israel to the president of the UN Security Council could serve as a pretext for attacking his country.

“The message sent by the Zionist entity (Israel) to the UN Security Council represents a pretext for aggression against Iraq and aligns with its ongoing efforts to expand the war in the region,” al-Sudani said in a statement.

He emphasized Iraq's rejection of such threats.

“Decisions of war and peace are solely within the authority of the Iraqi state, and no party is allowed to infringe upon this right,” he said.

Al-Sudani reaffirmed his country’s position of staying out of conflicts while maintaining its principled stance of seeking an end to the Gaza and Lebanon wars and supporting humanitarian efforts for the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Monday on X that he sent the letter, which “called for immediate action regarding the activity of the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, whose territory is being used to attack Israel,” warning that Israel has the right to defend itself under the UN Charter.

He called on the Security Council “to act urgently to make sure that the Iraqi government meets its obligations under international law and to make these attacks on Israel stop.”

The letter highlighted what Iraq considers a double standard, as Israel has ignored Security Council Resolution 2728 adopted in March, which calls for an end to the Israeli war in Gaza.

Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq have launched drones against Israeli targets in response to Israel's ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

In response to Israel’s statements, al Sudani, who also serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Army, convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Ministerial Council on Tuesday evening.

According to a council statement, Iraq views Israel's accusations as baseless pretexts for a “planned aggression” against the country.

The council emphasized that Iraq remains committed to preventing its territory from being used to stage attacks. It noted that “authorities have already confiscated weaponry prepared for launches and are pursuing legal actions against those involved in activities threatening Iraq’s security and territorial integrity.”

Al-Sudani directed the military and security agencies to “prevent and pursue any military activity occurring outside the state’s authority,” the statement said.

He also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urge the Arab League to adopt a “firm and unified position against the threats posed by the occupying authority (Israel), including practical measures rooted in shared destiny and collective defense.”

Additionally, he instructed the Foreign Ministry to call on the UN Security Council to review Iraq’s complaints regarding Israeli violations of its airspace.

In light of the heightened Israel threats, al-Sudani tasked the Ministry of Interior with preparing emergency plans proportional to the level of risk.

He also ordered enhanced security along Iraq’s western border with Syria. This includes intensified activity, rapid troop deployment and the development of necessary plans.

Al-Sudani also directed Iraq’s air defense forces to ensure comprehensive aerial protection. The measures aim to safeguard Iraqi airspace and critical infrastructure across the country.

Regional tension has escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 44,000 people, mostly women and children, since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October last year.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Hezbollah group since the start of the Gaza war.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio