Iraqi volunteers enlist to support Iran against potential US attack
Iraqis are turning out in large numbers to pledge their support for Iran and its efforts against a potential US attack.
Reports published on Saturday from the Iraqi province of Diyala, located in the east of the country, showed that thousands had gathered to sign a pledge to help defend Iran in the event of a US attack.
A statement released by the organizers of the gathering said that those who participated would be ready to defend Iran, as well as groups inside Iraq that support their eastern neighbor.
“We announce our readiness to volunteer to support our security forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we categorically reject American intervention in the Islamic Republic,” the statement read.
A senior figure from Iraq’s Badr Organization, a group that supports Iran and opposes the US presence in the region, said nearly 5,000 people had signed up in Diyala for operations to defend Iran without expecting any compensation.
Ammar al-Tamimi said that the names of the volunteers and their organizational structure would eventually be submitted to the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces.
The gathering came amid growing threats of a military confrontation between Iran and the US. Tensions escalated last month after Washington deployed warships to waters near Iran, prompting Tehran to warn it would respond decisively to any attack on its soil.
Threats subsided earlier this week after the two sides announced plans for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, with a first round of talks held in Oman on Friday.
Reports indicated that volunteers were also enlisting in other Iraqi cities, including the capital Baghdad, in preparation for a potential US attack on Iran.
The growing support comes despite ongoing US efforts to undermine Iraq’s close ties with Iran, including measures affecting Iranian gas export revenues held in Iraqi banks and attempts to block Iraq from increasing energy imports from its neighbor.
However, Iraqi factions that sympathize with Iran have repeatedly declared their commitment to supporting Tehran and its campaign against foreign military presence in the region.
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