Iraq, again, rejects Iran’s condemnation, Hezbollah terror tag
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Iran’s President Hassan Routani
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraq has, again, showed reluctance to share the Arab League’s condemnation of what the organization describes as “Iranian interventions” in regional states’ affairs, and also refused to recognize Lebanese militia Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
Iraq’s representative to the Arab Parliament, an Arab League body, voiced his reservation on a draft resolution to that end which condemned “Iranian interventions” in regional countries, while refusing to brand the Shia, Lebanese militia as a terrorist group.
An opening speech by the council’s chairman, Meshaal bin Fahm al-Salami, accused Iran of “stoking sectarian conflicts in the region” and “arming and financing militants and terrorist groups at Arab countries” including in Yemen and Bahrain. He also condemned Iranian control over three UAE islands in the Persian (Arab) Gulf.
Iraq had taken a similar stance in November, when the Arab League adopted a resolution condemning Iran for the same accusations and categorizing Hezbollah as a terrorist entity.
Shia Iran is widely viewed as the patron of Shia political groups and militias in Iraq, and Iraqi Shia clerics are understandably under the influence of Iran’s top clergy.
Iranian officials had previously dismissed Arab League accusations as unfounded.