Iran has rejected a report by Reuters that claims the Islamic Republic has handed small-range ballistic missiles over to Shi’ite proxies in Iraq, enabling them to easily strike Tel Aviv.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Twitter he was “deeply concerned” by the reports that Iran was transferring ballistic missiles into Iraq. He urged Iraqi leaders to quickly form a new government after a May 12 parliamentary election.
“Such false and ridiculous news have no purpose other than affecting Iran’s foreign relations, especially with its neighbors,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said, according to IRNA.
Iranian, Iraqi and Western sources told Reuters that Iran has given ballistic missiles to Shi’ite proxies in Iraq and is developing the capacity to build more there.
“This news is solely aimed at creating fears in the countries of the region,” Qassemi added.
Pompeo, in his tweet on the reports of the transfer of the missiles, said, “If true, this would be a gross violation of Iraqi sovereignty and of UNSCR 2231.”
Should the report be true, there are a couple of major concerns. One is that a Revolutionary Guard member might take it upon himself to start launching missiles at either Israel or Saudi Arabia.
But another concern stems from Israel’s stance regarding Iranian military assets in position to threaten it. In the past few years, it has repeatedly attacked Iranian bases and arms shipments in Syria, whether under the direct control of Iran or its proxy, Hezbollah, and it is easy to imagine them doing something similar should Iranian missiles be based in Western Iraq. However, since these missiles are unlikely to be under control of the Iraqi government, the official response should be muted, as in the case of Syria. (The Iraqi’s military ability to take direct action against Israel is, at this time, quite limited.)
Could this be fake new by Reuters? Of course. But does that really matter? If this is part of the global elite’s plan for war, then this escalation is of great concern.
Image: ISNA
