The ministry stated in a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that it has “followed up on the recent false claims made in a television program on one of the satellite channels regarding the existence of weapon smuggling operations,” emphasizing that “these allegations are not based on any factual evidence.” The ministry pointed out that the specialized security authorities “did not record any case of infiltration or smuggling from the Syrian border throughout the past period,” calling on the concerned institutions to “coordinate in advance to organize field visits to any of the border sectors, in order to observe firsthand the level of security readiness and stability achieved thanks to the efforts of the border forces.” Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed today, Tuesday, that his government “will not allow any individual or entity to use Iraq as a base for military operations,” as he put it. Al-Sudani stated in press remarks: “We know that the Israeli government has pursued, and continues to pursue, a policy of expanding the war in the region. Therefore, we have been keen not to give any justification to any party to target Iraq or drag it into war,” adding that his government “also communicated with the leaders in Iran to urge them to calm down and allow space for dialogue and return to negotiations.” Regarding Syria, Al-Sudani stated that his government coordinates with it, especially on security matters, saying: “We and the Syrian administration certainly have a common enemy, which is the terrorist ‘ISIS’ (a banned organization in Russia and several countries), which is clearly and openly present inside Syria.” Al-Sudani added that his government “warned the Syrians of the mistakes made in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, when the security vacuum that followed led to years of sectarian violence and the rise of extremist armed groups,” urging the current Syrian leadership to seek “a comprehensive political process that includes all components and sects.” The Iraqi Prime Minister said: “We do not want the division of Syria. This is unacceptable, and we certainly do not want any foreign presence on Syrian soil,” in a clear reference to Israeli incursions in southern Syria.
