Iraqi Foreign Ministry Summons Lebanese Ambassador in Protest Over President Joseph Aoun’s Remarks
On Wednesday, April 16, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ambassador of the Republic of Lebanon to Baghdad, Ali Al-Habhab, to express its discontent with recent statements made by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in a media interview, during which he commented on Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
During the meeting, the Deputy Minister for Bilateral Relations, Ambassador Mohammed Bahr Al-Uloom, voiced Iraq’s dissatisfaction with the Lebanese president’s remarks. He emphasized that the Popular Mobilization Forces are a fundamental part of Iraq’s security and military structure, describing it as a legal and governmental institution operating under the authority of the Iraqi state.
Bahr Al-Uloom stated that “the linkage made in the president’s comments was inappropriate,” and stressed that Iraq or its official institutions should not be drawn into Lebanon’s internal affairs. He added that the comments sparked a wave of resentment within Iraq, particularly given the strong fraternal ties between the two nations and Iraq’s ongoing support for Lebanon during various crises.
The Deputy Minister called for the remarks to be corrected, underscoring the importance of respecting the sovereignty and internal matters of each country and maintaining mutual understanding and respect to further develop bilateral relations between Baghdad and Beirut.
In response, the Lebanese ambassador reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to its strong, historic relationship with Iraq. He pledged to relay the Iraqi Foreign Ministry’s position to President Aoun and work toward clarifying the situation in a way that preserves cooperation and coordination between the two countries. He also noted that Lebanon counts on Iraq’s role, alongside other Arab nations, in contributing to Lebanon’s reconstruction efforts.
Source: Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs
