Observers considered what happened to be a “significant change” in the style and method of carrying out such attacks, which were usually carried out from within Iraqi territory itself, on Western and Iraqi bases and interests in Erbil, Baghdad and other areas, mostly via drones by pro-Iranian militias..
But Washington’s position seemed unclear, as seen by observers, as State Department spokesman Ned Price said: “We have no indication that the attack was directed against the United States, and Iran must immediately stop its attacks and respect Iraq’s sovereignty, and stop its interference in its affairs.” interior”.
This statement came despite the fact that the Iraqi Kurdish security authorities had confirmed that the attack targeted the vicinity of the new US consulate in the suburbs of Erbil, which is still under construction.
Analysts of the Iraqi scene said that carrying out such a massive attack “falls within the context of Tehran’s attempts to exploit the turbulent international situation due to the impact of the war in Ukraine, to proceed with the implementation of its Iraqi and regional agendas.”
Commenting on the implications of the Iranian missile attack on Erbil, and the American reaction, the Iraqi writer and political analyst, Ali Al-Baydar, told Sky News Arabia: “There is, of course, more than one reason to explain the motives for this major attack with more than 10 ballistic missiles, as the attack comes simultaneously. With the killing of senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guards by Israel in Syria recently.”
And he continued, “Tehran sees that with this attack it is responding, by targeting the vicinity of the American consulate under construction near Erbil, as a matter of revenge, without the slightest regard for the sovereignty and security of Iraq, as Tehran’s habit of turning Iraq into an arena for settling its accounts with Washington.“.
Al-Baydar added: “The American position is ambiguous and raises suspicion that Washington is not serious in confronting Iran in Iraq, or that it is evading confronting Iranian influence in Iraq. Otherwise, how can these statements of the US State Department be interpreted?”
And he continued, “And there may even be attempts from Tehran to exploit the United States’ preoccupation with the Russian-Ukrainian war and its dangerous repercussions, by opening a new front with Washington in Iraq to confuse it more, to mix regional cards, and to play on international contradictions on the hot Ukrainian tin, to pass its goals and enhance its influence.“.
Who is targeted?
As for the Iraqi writer and researcher, Maher Al-Hamdani, he told Sky News Arabia: “Despite Washington saying that the Iranian attack on Erbil does not target it, but the first party that is really targeted is America, by showing that Iran is able to threaten and strike its interests in Iraq with force, The second is Israel, after its recent attack that killed two senior officers in the Revolutionary Guards, and this Iranian attack is to save Tehran’s face.”
The Iraqi political researcher added: “The most important message from this Iranian attack is directed to the Iraqis, which is that they should not proceed with forming a new government and choosing a prime minister without taking Iran’s interests and influence into consideration, and ignoring its role in Mesopotamia.”
Thus, Washington distanced itself from the issue, as Al-Hamdani says, adding: “In terms of the position of the US State Department, and to imagine the matter as if it were exchanged messages between Iran and Israel, and so that the only loser in light of this chaos is the Iraqi sovereignty, which has not been accounted for.”
#Iranian #attack #Erbil #Washington #receive #message