Iraq jails commentator for saying country was helping Israel conflict against Iran
Iraqi authorities said they arrested a political commentator on Wednesday over a post alleging that a military radar system struck by a drone had been used to help Israel in its conflict against Iran.
After a court issued a warrant, the defense ministry said that Iraqi forces arrested Abbas al-Ardawi for sharing content online that included 'incitement intended to insult and defame the security institution.'
In a post on X, which was later deleted but has circulated on social media as a screenshot, Ardawi told his more than 90,000 followers that 'a French radar in the Taji base served the Israeli aggression' and was eliminated.
Early Tuesday, hours before a ceasefire ended the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, unidentified drones struck radar systems at two military bases in Taji, north of Baghdad, and in southern Iraq, officials have said.
The Taji base hosted US troops several years ago and was a frequent target of rocket attacks.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the latest drone attacks, which also struck radar systems at the Imam Ali airbase in Dhi Qar province.
A source close to Iran-backed groups in Iraq told AFP that the armed factions have nothing to do with the attacks.
Ardawi is seen as a supporter of Iran-aligned armed groups who had launched attack US forces in the region in the past, and of the pro-Tehran Coordination Framework, a powerful political coalition that holds a parliamentary majority.
The Iraqi defense ministry said that Ardawi's arrest was made on the instructions of the prime minister, who also serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, 'not to show leniency towards anyone who endangers the security and stability of the country.'
It added that while 'the freedom of expression is a guaranteed right... it is restricted based on national security and the country's top interests.'
Iran-backed groups have criticized US deployment in Iraq as part of an anti-extremist coalition, saying the American forces allowed Israel to use Iraq's airspace.
The US-led coalition also includes French troops, who have been training Iraqi forces. There is no known French deployment at the Taji base.
The Iran-Israel conflict had forced Baghdad to close its airspace, before reopening on Tuesday shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire.
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Arab News
22 minutes ago
- Arab News
Trump declares Iran ‘victory for everybody'
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Al Arabiya
26 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
US, Iran disagree on scale of damage to nuclear facilities from strikes, Kremlin aide says
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Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
The high stakes in maintaining the Iran-Israel ceasefire
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Trump received high praise from the GCC ministers for arranging a halt to the 12-day Iran-Israel war Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg US President Donald Trump received high praise from the GCC ministers for arranging a halt to the 12-day Iran-Israel war. The sudden turnaround in America's approach to the conflict was as decisive as it was surprising. Trump gave a rare public rebuke of Israel's prime minister after Netanyahu violated the ceasefire — as has been his modus operandi on other similar occasions. The cessation of hostilities provides an opportunity to return to the nuclear talks between Iran and the US, which were hosted and facilitated by Oman and which were disrupted by Israel's attack on Iran on June 13. The US' success in stopping this war is testimony to the tremendous influence it has in this region and the diplomatic skills of Trump and his team, especially Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The president rarely gets praise for subtle diplomacy, but his muscular handling of this conflict has been effective. The nuclear negotiations, when they resume, can build on this momentum and America's newfound decisiveness. They will also be helped by the June 12 findings by the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding Iran's breaches of its commitments to the agency and the nonproliferation regime. The IAEA's decision to find Iran in noncompliance, the first in two decades, would anchor the talks in verified facts by an independent UN agency, not the accusations of an adversary, as Tehran has dismissed similar charges in the past. The talks now have a better chance of success as the US has probably re-ascertained that military action cannot end Iran's nuclear ambitions. This is an opportunity that should not be dismissed, because the alternatives are all bleak. 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The GCC ministers pointed to the possible disruption of supply chains if the conflict were to continue and stressed the need to safeguard passageways and waterways and secure energy supplies from the region, which possesses about half the world's supply of oil and a quarter of its gas supply. Success on the nuclear track would also help accelerate other diplomatic efforts, including Gaza and the overall Israel-Palestine conflict. GCC-Iran talks, bilaterally and collectively, could also move faster, bringing the region closer to peace, stability and shared prosperity. As close friends of the US, the GCC ministers cheered President Trump for the ceasefire deal and hoped for more successes. He will undoubtedly edge closer to his goal of getting a Nobel Peace Prize if he and his team continue on this path of successfully mediating regional conflicts.
