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French President Emmanuel Macron said “everything must be done” to prevent Iraq from being drawn into the ongoing regional escalation, following a series of strikes across the country and growing concerns over the Iran-related conflict.
Macron made the remarks after speaking with Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani on Saturday, following what he described as an “unacceptable attack.”
He said the situation was “highly concerning” and pointed to a surge in attacks targeting Iraqi institutions.
Iraq’s military has accused the U.S. and Israel of carrying out several bombing raids in recent weeks targeting Iran-backed Shiite militias and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the KRG.
At the same time, Tehran-backed armed groups have launched attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and on the U.S. embassy.
On Saturday, at least two Iraqi police officers were killed in an airstrike in Mosul, security sources told Reuters. The strike appeared to target a Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) building located next to a police facility.
The PMF is an umbrella group of paramilitary factions, including groups aligned with Iran, that has been formally integrated into Iraq’s state security forces.
A drone attack also targeted the residence of Nechirvan Barzani earlier on Saturday, while air defenses shot down another drone near a Peshmerga base in Duhok, according to security sources.
Macron said the sovereignty of Iraq, including the KRG, is essential for regional stability.
“The sovereignty of Iraq, and of Kurdistan within it, is essential to regional stability. Everything must be done to prevent Iraq from being drawn into the ongoing escalation,” he said.
He added that France remains alongside its Iraqi partners amid the rising tensions.
The developments come as concerns grow that Iraq could be increasingly drawn into the wider conflict linked to Iran and its regional allies.
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