Iran Strongly Denies Report of Missile Transfer to Iraq

The spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry strongly denied a Reuters report about the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Iraq, calling it a "baseless, meaningless, and ridiculous" claim. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Bahram Qasemi on Saturday, September 10, described the report as "irrelevant and fundamentally false," stating that it was published "solely to instill fear among regional countries and to continue the policies of Iranophobia and Iran avoidance." He emphasized that such news is "completely false and ridiculous, aimed solely at influencing Iran's foreign relations, especially with its neighbors." Al-Alam, an Arabic-language television network in Iran, also suggested that the report aimed to influence Sunni groups in Iraq. On Friday, September 9, Reuters reported, citing Western sources, that ballistic missiles from the Islamic Republic had been transferred to Iraq and that efforts were underway to produce such missiles within the country. These sources also indicated that the transfer, which involved "dozens of missiles," was seen as a message to the United States and Israel, especially following airstrikes against Iranian forces in Syria. On the same day, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that the Islamic Republic currently had "no activities" regarding the establishment of missile base facilities in Syrian territory. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that the nuclear deal with Iran did not lead to improved global peace and that the Islamic Republic continued its "missile activities and destabilizing actions in the region" after the deal, leading to Washington's exit from the JCPOA. European countries have also stated that while they remain committed to the JCPOA, they share "common concerns with the U.S. regarding Iran's missile activities and its actions in the region." The Reuters report about the transfer of Iranian missiles to Iraq comes at a time when some analysts believe Iran's influence in the country has weakened following recent elections. Prior to this report, The Wall Street Journal had written that the publication of an interrogation report from the leader of the military branch of the Iraqi group "Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq" reveals Iran's "significant" role in the "Iraqi civil war, training and arming Iraqi militias, and attacking American forces" in the country. Nevertheless, Alireza Miryousefi, spokesperson for Iran's mission to the United Nations, described this claim as "ridiculous" on September 8, stating that the Islamic Republic has only "helped Iraqis in combating terrorist groups."