Iraq Summons Lebanese Ambassador Over President Aoun's Remarks on PMF
The Iraqi government interpreted Aoun's comments as a dismissal of the PMF's legitimacy, prompting a swift response.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iraq's Foreign Ministry summoned Lebanon's ambassador to Baghdad, Ali al-Habhab, on Wednesday to protest recent comments made by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun concerning Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The ministry expressed dissatisfaction over Aoun's remarks in a recent media interview, during which he dismissed the idea of replicating the PMF model to integrate Hezbollah into the Lebanese army.
In an interview with Al Araby Al Jadeed, President Aoun stated that Lebanon would not emulate Iraq's integration of the PMF into its security forces, when it came to enforcing the state's monopoly on weapons. He emphasized that Hezbollah would not be allowed to function as an independent unit within the Lebanese Armed Forces, though individual members could join through established integration processes similar to those used for former militias after Lebanon’s civil war.
The Iraqi government interpreted Aoun's comments as a dismissal of the PMF's legitimacy, prompting a swift response. "Iraq rejects the use of official Iraqi institutions as comparative models in foreign internal debates," said Mohammed Bahr AlUloom, Iraq’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Bilateral Relations, in a statement released Wednesday.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani defended the PMF during a public forum in Sulaymaniyah, describing it as "a vital institution and an integral part of Iraq's security system."
The PMF, an Iran-backed Shia armed group formed in 2014 to combat Islamic State militants, was later integrated into Iraq's official security apparatus under a 2016 law that recognized them as a state-sanctioned military body operating under the command of the Prime Minister.
With the Arab League summit set to take place in Baghdad next month, the Iraqi government emphasized the importance of mutual respect among member states. "We expect statements that reflect the respect Iraq deserves, especially since we stood by the Lebanese people during their war with Israel," said an Iraqi lawmaker.
As regional tensions persist, both Iraq and Lebanon navigate complex political landscapes influenced by internal dynamics and external pressures.
