Iraq says it will not be a launchpad for regional attacks

Iraq will not allow its territory to become a passageway or launchpad for attacks against other countries, a military spokesman said Sunday.

Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Sabah al-Numan, a spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, said Baghdad’s policy was based on avoiding regional and international conflicts to preserve domestic stability.

He said restricting weapons to state control remained a key pillar of the government’s security strategy and a necessary step toward ending armed activity outside the legal framework.

Al-Numan also stressed that Iraq would not allow other countries to interfere in its internal affairs, saying the country seeks to protect itself from the security and political fallout of regional crises.

Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi pledged Thursday to place all weapons under state control as part of a broader reform program after winning parliament’s confidence.

*Writing by Tarek Chouiref