Iraqi Military Spokesman: Weapons Must Remain Under State Control
Baghdad says a joint investigation with Saudi Arabia and the UAE is underway as officials stress that Iraqi territory must not be used to threaten neighboring countries
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraq’s military command on Friday reaffirmed that controlling weapons outside state authority is a national security strategy that “must be implemented,” as Baghdad continues investigating recent attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, said a specialized committee formed by order of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi is conducting a joint investigation with Saudi and Emirati authorities into the recent drone attacks.
“The committee is a high-level intelligence and technical body,” al-Numan said in a statement on Friday. “Its field mission is to analyze and compare information, criminal evidence, and radar data in direct coordination with our brothers in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.”
Al-Numan stressed that military and security investigations cannot be rushed for political or media purposes, saying they require precision to establish the full truth behind the incidents.
“The official Iraqi position is clear: the security of our brothers is a red line,” he said. “If the involvement of any party or individual is proven, they will not only face the judiciary, but the armed forces will also treat them as a threat to Iraq’s national security and a violation of sovereignty.”
He added that the Iraqi government would not allow any actor to challenge sovereign state decisions, warning that anyone found responsible would face legal and military consequences under anti-terrorism and military laws.
Addressing the issue of weapons outside state control, al-Numan said the matter goes beyond political rhetoric.
“This is not merely a political slogan, but a security strategy that must be implemented,” he said.
According to al-Numan, field plans are already underway through expanded intelligence operations and updated weapons databases, with the aim of ensuring that the Iraqi state remains “the only authority possessing force and decision-making power.”
The remarks come after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi renewed Baghdad’s condemnation of attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and the UAE, describing them as a “criminal act.”
In a statement posted on X, Al-Zaidi said Iraq had launched a joint investigation with both countries to review all available evidence, including indications that Iraqi territory may have been used in the attacks.
“We renew our condemnation and denunciation of the criminal act that targeted the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,” Al-Zaidi stated.
The Prime Minister also reaffirmed Iraq’s rejection of the use of its territory or airspace as a launching point for attacks against neighboring states and stressed Baghdad’s commitment to regional stability and cooperation.
The statements come amid heightened regional tensions and growing concerns over the use of Iraqi territory in attacks targeting Gulf countries.