U.S. Secretary of State: we will respond to the Iranian attack on Erbil
Shafaq News/ On Monday, a source revealed that the U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, informed the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, that Washington "would not stand and watch its allies in the Kurdistan Region threaten and attack."
The source told Shafaq News Agency, "The U.S. Secretary of State told Al-Kadhimi during a phone call that the United States will have a firm position on the Iranian attack on Erbil, by responding directly to Tehran or its agents in Iraq and the region."
"I spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi yesterday to express solidarity and condemn the recent Iranian attack that violated Iraq's sovereignty. We discussed Iraqi national unity and the urgent need to form a government that protects Iraqis and their territory." Blinken said on Twitter.
During the phone call, Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa said his country should not become "a stage for settling external scores."
Iran attacked Erbil on Sunday with a dozen ballistic missiles in an unprecedented assault on the capital of Kurdistan.
The missiles came down in areas near a new U.S. consulate building, but no Americans were injured.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps claimed responsibility. It said that the attack was against "Israeli "strategic centers in Erbil," suggesting it was revenge for recent Israeli airstrikes that killed Iranian military personnel in Syria.
The Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi headed a delegation of officials of the Ministers of Defense and Interior to visit the Erbil Governorate.
Al-Kadhimi met with the Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani, the leader Masoud Barzani, and the Prime Minister, Masrour Barzani, to follow up on the situation.
He also visited the attack sites, including the destroyed houses and Kurdistan 24 building.
After meeting Kurdish President, Al-Kadhimi said that the attack represents a "deep concern," adding, "We came today to Erbil to stand by and support Kurdistan."
Concerning Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps' statement claiming that the attack was against "Israeli "strategic centers in Erbil, President Barzani denied the presence of any Israeli base in the Region, considering this rumor is "baseless."
"We demand the Iraqi federal government and the international community to recognize these offensives and spare no effort to curb the country's sovereignty and stability, and the people's security and safety." He said.
