Influential Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has urged Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and allied militias to refrain from launching attacks from Iraqi territory, warning that such actions could draw Iraq into a wider regional conflict.
According to Al Jazeera, al-Sadr made the appeal in a statement posted on X, calling on armed groups not to provide neighboring Gulf states with a pretext to target Iraq. “Rogue militias must not give our brothers in the Gulf states a pretext to target our sacred land,” he said.
The statement comes amid heightened regional tensions following reported U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iran-backed militia positions in Iraq over allegations that Iraqi territory was used to launch attacks. Iraqi authorities are investigating the claims, while several militia groups have denied responsibility.
Al-Sadr also condemned repeated violations of Iraq’s sovereignty, urged the government to ensure all weapons remain under state control, and warned that sectarian tensions could be exploited by terrorist groups. He called for dialogue, regional cooperation, and a Middle East free from foreign military bases and external domination.
