9 hours ago
Iraq's Parliament demands air defense upgrade
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraq's Parliament called for urgent enhancement of national air defense systems after repeated Israeli violations of Iraqi airspace during operations against Iran.
In a statement following a closed-door session, lawmakers urged the government to strengthen aerial, land, and maritime defense capabilities, file a formal complaint with the United Nations, and safeguard Iraqi sovereignty.
The Parliament also endorsed the Najaf religious authority's (Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani) stance in support of Iran and firmly rejected the use of Iraqi territory for cross-border military operations.
MP Firas al-Maslamawi of the State of Law Coalition, a main alliance within the pro-Iranian Coordination Framework, pointed to growing calls to reassess Iraq's security cooperation with the Global Coalition, citing failures to prevent airspace violations and effectively address ISIS threats. 'Israeli incursions and ineffective counterterrorism coordination highlight the urgent need to protect our airspace,' he noted.
To address defense gaps, Parliament announced the formation of a joint committee from the security and integrity blocs to examine delays in acquiring modern air defense systems.
Since June 13, Iraqi airspace has become a corridor for missiles and drones exchanged between Israel and Iran, and according to military experts, Baghdad currently lacks advanced systems capable of intercepting such threats.
In response, Iraqi forces have deployed anti-air units to strategic sites, including the Bazarkan oil field in Maysan province. A security official told Shafaq News the systems remain in monitoring mode and will only be activated if a direct threat is detected.
