What is happening between Iran and Iraq after the strikes which hit the Kurdish city of Erbil?

Iranian diplomacy presented these missile launches as “a targeted operation” in retaliation for the death of a general and several commanders allied to Tehran. Baghdad says a civilian’s home was targeted.

The city of Erbil was hit by ballistic missile fire on the night of Monday January 15 to Tuesday January 16. These strikes, claimed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, killed at least “four civilians” and injured six others in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, according to a press release from the local authorities of this autonomous region. Iraq immediately condemned “assault” after this offensive from his neighbor. Franceinfo summarizes what we know about these bombings in an explosive regional context.

Iran claims to have targeted Israeli ‘spies’

Iran’s official IRNA news agency announced that the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, had carried out an attack on the outskirts of Erbil. According to her, ballistic missiles destroyed “a headquarters” where were located “spies” of Mossad, Israel’s intelligence services. The Jewish state did not immediately react to these accusations.

According to the official Iranian agency, this strike comes in retaliation for recent attacks that Iran attributes to Israel. During these offensives, several commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and heads of “the axis of resistance”the name given to Tehran’s allies in its fight against the Jewish state, were killed.

At the end of December, Tehran accused Israel of having eliminated General Razi Mousavi in ​​Syria. On January 2, a strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut killed Hamas number two, Saleh al-Arouri, and six other leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement. A few days later, Wissam Tawil, a senior Hezbollah military official, was targeted in Lebanon.

Iranian diplomacy presented these strikes as “a targeted operation”. “The Islamic Republic has always supported peace, stability and security in the region, and adheres to the principles of respect for the sovereignty and integrity of countries, but it does not hesitate to use the legitimate right to defend the security of its citizens and to punish criminals”declared a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Iran specialist, researcher Thierry Coville notes that “the Iranian authorities are under pressure”, particularly since the attack on January 3, which left 84 dead in Kerman, in the south of the country. Tehran had promised a strong response. According to him, the Iranian government, in the grip of an internal political crisis, reacted “fast enough” to mark the occasion and because security is its “strong point”.

Iraq denounces “aggression” and “incorrect” allegations

Baghdad immediately condemned “an aggression targeting the sovereignty of Iraq and the security of its people”. In response to Iran’s accusations, Iraqi authorities ordered the formation of a commission of inquiry to prove “the falsity of the allegations of those responsible for these reprehensible acts”.

“Regarding the presence of an Israeli Mossad HQ, we inspected the place, visited every corner of the house. Everything indicates that it is the family home of an Iraqi businessman”assured Qassem al-Aaraji, the Iraqi national security adviser, responsible for the investigation into this Iranian strike. “These allegations are false and incorrect.”

According to Iraqi authorities, Peshraw Dizayee’s home was targeted. This real estate tycoon, who also runs a company in the hydrocarbons and private security sector, as well as his wife and other members of his family are among the deceased victims.

France condemns “unacceptable” strikes

Washington quickly denounced through Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, “a series of reckless and imprecise strikes”. The US State Department also stressed that the United States was “opposites” to these “irresponsible strikes” Who “undermine the stability of Iraq”.

France also condemned “with the greatest firmness” the strikes that hit Erbil, calling them “inadmissible violations” of the sovereignty of Iraq, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Such acts contribute to the escalation of regional tensions and must stop”adds French diplomacy.

Same story for London. “UK condemns Iranian regime’s attacks in Erbilwrote David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary, on the social network (ex-Twitter). These unprovoked and unjustified actions constitute an unacceptable violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The Prime Minister of Kurdistan, Masrour Barzani, castigated “unjustified and illegal attacks”calling on the international community “not to remain silent”, according to its services. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires to give him a “protest letter” and recalled his ambassador to Iran “for consultation”.