Iraq warns Israel against using its airspace in attempt to strike Iran

TEHRAN,June 8(MNA) – Baghdad has warned Israel that it would respond to any attempts by Tel Aviv to use Iraqi airspace for a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, a top Iraqi minister told AFP in remarks published on June 3. The remarks from Hussein al-Shahristani, deputy prime minister responsible for energy affairs, mark the first time a senior Iraqi official has publicly warned Israel against entering its airspace -- the most direct route -- to hit targets in Iran. Shahristani also said that Iraq had received assurances from Washington that the United States would not use its airspace to attack Iran, which Western powers claim is trying to develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran has repeatedly denied the claim. “The (Americans) have assured us that they will never violate Iraqi airspace or Iraqi sovereignty by using our airspace to attack any of our neighbors,” Shahristani said in an interview in his office in Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone. “We have also warned Israel that if they violate Iraqi airspace, they will have to bear the consequences.” The minister said that the issue had been discussed in Iraq’s national security council, and the warning had been passed to Israel “through countries that they have relations with”. Asked how Iraq would react to any such Israeli attempt to target Iran’s nuclear program, Shahristani said, “Obviously, Iraq wouldn’t be disclosing its reaction, to allow Israel to take that into account.” Western powers led by Washington along with Israel are at loggerheads with Iran over allegations that its nuclear program is aimed at developing an atomic weapon. Tehran has repeatedly rejected the charges, and in turn accuses its arch-foes Israel and the United States of waging a deadly campaign of sabotage against its nuclear program, which it insists is for peaceful purposes. Israel, which is widely believed to possess the Middle East’s only nuclear arsenal, has refused to rule out military action against Iran. Elsewhere in his remarks, Shahristani pointed in particular to Iraq’s need for gas imports from Iran in order to fuel its power stations, with the country attempting to rebuild its badly-damaged electricity infrastructure. “Iraq has its own national interest,” he said. “Power generation is very critical… and there is no way we can fuel our new power stations that are being constructed and will be ready before the end of the year, without having gas from Iran.” “We expect the U.S., as our ally, to understand the need of the Iraqi people for power generation. If any friend can make the gas available from other sources, by all means, we would be very happy to consider that option.” “But, given our geographical location, the only gas available to Iraq is from Iran now, and we have explained this to our American friends.” He added that Iraq had held talks earlier this year with Syria and Iran for a gas pipeline that would go from Iran through Iraq to Syria, but no funds or timeline had been agreed for the proposed project. Another pipeline carrying gas from Iran to supply power stations in Baghdad and central Iraq is under construction, he said.