BAGHDAD (Web Desk) - Iraq has refused to allow the United States to use its territory as a launchpad for military strikes against neighbouring Iran, amid rising regional tensions.
According to a statement issued by the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi conveyed Baghdad's position during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, stressing that Iraqi territory should not be used as a military base for attacks against neighbouring countries.
Iraq's foreign minister also warned that the country was not prepared for war, cautioning that military strikes against Iran could have devastating consequences for Iraq.
Meanwhile, Iran has threatened to expand the range of its retaliatory strikes to Europe if the United States and Israel launch fresh attacks against the country.
Iranian parliamentarian Hossein Ali Haji Deligani warned that Tehran could deploy missiles capable of reaching European targets in response to any new military aggression.
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Former Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati also called on the international community to recognise Iran's strategic importance in the region, saying the country could not be ignored.
Velayati urged regional countries to choose between collective security and collective insecurity, arguing that recent global developments had demonstrated that regional security could not be treated as an individual responsibility.
He emphasised that security must be shared by all countries in the region, warning that lasting stability could not be achieved if some nations remained vulnerable to threats.