Iraqi President urges Global Coalition to protect skies
Shafaq News – Baghdad/Madrid
On Wednesday, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid condemned recent Israeli and Iranian violations of Iraq’s airspace and urged the US Global Coalition to safeguard Iraqi skies.
“Coalition forces should have intervened," Rashid told El Mundo, emphasizing that Iraq had requested air defense systems but lacked them due to "decades of dictatorship".
Iraq’s airspace has increasingly become a corridor for regional strikes, particularly during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. While the Coalition’s mandate is counterterrorism, Iraqi leaders argued it should also help safeguard national sovereignty during regional escalations.
On domestic security, the president affirmed that weapons must be restricted to official forces, reiterating the government's stance on consolidating arms under state control, and warned that ISIS remains a regional threat. “Their threat has declined, but the atrocities against Yazidis remain unforgettable," he said, referencing the 2014 genocide in Sinjar.
Baghdad–Erbil talks are also ongoing to resolve issues related to revenue and administration, according to the President, who stressed the importance of passing a national oil and gas law to address these disputes.
Ahead of November’s legislative elections, Rashid encouraged participation from all political groups, including those planning to abstain. “Democratic systems allow for boycotts, but collaboration is essential to address corruption and national challenges."
