What Lies Behind Iraqi Factions’ Threats to Target Gulf States?

For the second time in two weeks, the leader of the militia group Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Abu Alaa al-Wala’i, issued statements accusing Saudi Arabia and the UAE of funding the Israeli occupation in its aggression against Gaza and Lebanon, warning that these countries “will not be safe from punishment.”

In a post on the “X” platform, al-Wala’i stated, “The amount of bombs dropped by the occupying entity on Gaza and the Dahiya (Beirut’s southern suburbs) so far is equivalent in impact to the nuclear bomb America dropped on Nagasaki, relying on the financial support from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which provided financial backing.”

He added, “This places the rulers of these sponsoring regimes directly responsible for the innocent blood being shed, and it will not leave them safe from retribution.”

Iranian Messages

Political analyst Ghanem al-Abed, in an interview with Arabi21, remarked, “The decision to enter into war or refrain from it is solely in the hands of the Iraqi government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani.”

Al-Abed added that “The Iraqi government has taken steps in response to the crisis, which were welcomed by the people. These include providing humanitarian aid, receiving the wounded, sending doctors, relief materials, and oil. All these efforts are considered positive to keep Iraq out of the conflict.”

He continued, “However, when some militia leaders issue threats to neighboring countries, it constitutes a rebellion against the state. The Iraqi government should have held Abu Alaa al-Wala’i accountable for such statements, which harm Iraq more than they benefit it.”

The Iraqi analyst believes that “al-Wala’i’s statements align with the Iranian messages and threats directed at the West, indicating that if Israel targets energy facilities in Iran, Iran will retaliate against Israel and even the Gulf states, suggesting a potential energy war in the region.”

He pointed out that “The United States will not permit such attacks, especially with upcoming presidential elections next month. It is pressuring Israel not to carry out such strikes.”

In contrast, Iraqi political analyst Atheer al-Shar’ said, “Benjamin Netanyahu was the first to classify countries collaborating with them when he presented a map at the United Nations General Assembly, calling them the ‘Countries of Grace,’ including Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The UAE is also a supporter of the Zionist entity.”

Al-Shar’ added in an interview with Arabi21 that “Netanyahu himself identified these countries as collaborators. Additionally, when resistance missiles pass through Jordan, which borders the occupied territories, the Jordanian government works to intercept them. This confirms their cooperation with the Israeli occupation.”

The Iraqi expert stressed that “The factions are extremely displeased with the stance of some Arab countries that cooperate with the Zionist entity and oppose the factions that bear the banner of liberating Palestine from occupation.”

He emphasized, “If a full-scale war breaks out and the Zionist entity continues to target Iran and Iraq, the armed factions will certainly target American and Israeli interests in the region. Any country that collaborates with the Israelis and hosts American bases on its soil will be at risk of attack.”

He further noted that “Given the disgraceful stance of certain countries regarding the ongoing aggression in Lebanon and Palestine, the factions have the right to condemn the role of these Arab nations and their rulers in what is happening in the region.”

Official Stance

Regarding the impact of these threats on Iraq’s relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, al-Abed stated, “Countries engage diplomatically with other countries, and any statements made by members of militias are not taken seriously.”

He added, “These militias aim to drag the country into a war with all regional states, serving purely Iranian interests. Iraq is not a guardian over any nation to threaten them. Each state has its own policies and understands its interests as long as it poses no harm to us, whether Saudi Arabia or others.”

Meanwhile, al-Shar’ noted, “The Iraqi government has rejected any threats issued by factions against other countries, which reflects Iraq’s official position. According to diplomatic norms and Iraq’s regional relations, such rhetoric is not acceptable.”

He explained, “The Iraqi government’s statements reject the comments of certain factions and label some figures as outlaws, as these discussions are about bilateral relations. However, when we discuss the regional stance or the ideologies of some factions, the matter differs.”

He highlighted that “Relations between Iraq and the Gulf states will remain intact because the Prime Minister firmly rejects these statements, and the judiciary has hinted that such rhetoric is not permissible. Therefore, the countries will align with the government’s stance.”

Commenting on Al-Wala’i’s Statements

In response to Al-Wala’i’s statements, the Iraqi government stated on Tuesday that it rejects “the accusations of betrayal directed towards our brothers and the insults against them, especially as they pursue the same goal of protecting the Palestinian people and affirming their rights, as well as the Lebanese people’s right to sovereignty and border protection.”

The spokesperson for the Iraqi government, Basim al-Awadi, added that “The official stances of Iraq are exclusively expressed by the government through its policies and actions based on the constitution and democratic system, and its responsibility to define the public interest of the Iraqi people.”

On September 27, Al-Wala’i posted a tweet on his account on the “X” platform, stating that “The Islamic resistance in Iraq considers the UAE as the forward base for the Zionist entity in the Gulf and the primary target of resistance fire if a full-scale war breaks out.”

Al-Wala’i warned the UAE that “The Islamic resistance’s missiles and drones, which have reached deep into the Zionist entity, could easily reach alternative locations for the occupying entity in the region.”

So far, no response has come from the countries targeted by Al-Wala’i’s remarks, accusing them of supporting the Israeli occupation in its aggression against Gaza and Lebanon, particularly since Al-Wala’i is a leader in the Shiite “Coordination Framework” that formed the current government led by Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani.

Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada is a faction within the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq,” which periodically carries out missile and drone attacks on occupied territories. Two weeks ago, these attacks resulted in the death of two Israeli soldiers and injured 24 others in the occupied Golan Heights.