Valiati's Reaction to the Attack of Muqtada al-Sadr's Supporters on the Iraqi Parliament

The international affairs advisor to the leader of the Islamic Republic reacted to the attack by supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, a Shia cleric, on the Iraqi Parliament, stating that the people of this country will "confront" any disruption to their security and the rule of law and will stand against any group that seeks to act illegally. According to ISNA news agency, Ali Akbar Velayati emphasized during a meeting with Jan Kubis, the UN Secretary-General's representative for Iraq, that the people of Iraq will respond to those who want to disturb their peace through illegal means. Mr. Velayati accused some unnamed countries of attempting to "disrupt the equations" in Iraq and stated that the country is at a "sensitive juncture." He stressed that all countries should support the "territorial integrity and unity of Iraq, as the security of countries in the region is interdependent." The international affairs advisor to the leader of the Islamic Republic also announced that Iran will "continue to provide any assistance that it can to the government and people of Iraq based on the requests of the Iraqi government." On Saturday, thousands of Iraqi protesters, many of whom are supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, entered the "Green Zone" of Baghdad, with some entering the parliament compound. The "Green Zone," a 10-kilometer area along the Tigris River in Baghdad, houses government buildings and embassies from various countries and has been inaccessible to many Iraqis since the 2003 occupation. The entry of protesters and the breaking of some barriers and concrete walls around this area is unprecedented in the history of the Green Zone, with many of them still present there on Sunday. These protesters are demanding a parliamentary vote on ministers who do not have specific party affiliations. Muqtada al-Sadr had previously asked his supporters in the Iraqi parliament to participate only in sessions related to cabinet approval and to avoid any protests that would delay cabinet approval. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered security forces on Sunday to identify and arrest those who attacked parliament representatives and caused damage to the parliament building. Mr. Velayati's remarks against Muqtada al-Sadr's forces come despite the Islamic Republic's long-standing support for this Shia cleric. However, reports indicate that the attackers on the Iraqi parliament chanted against Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force, and called for the withdrawal of Iranian forces from Iraq. The political activities of the Sadr movement began with Muqtada al-Sadr's strong criticism of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, and the militia group "Jaish al-Mahdi" led by him engaged in clashes with US forces. The Sadr group suspended its militia activities in 2008 after heavy battles with Iraqi and US security forces. Following the unrest in Baghdad, Saeed Ohadi, head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, announced the cancellation of all flights under this organization to Baghdad.