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| Iraq |
| Iraq backtracks after listing Hezbollah and Houthis as terror groups |
| 2025-12-05 |
| [IsraelTimes] Prime Minister Sudani, seeking to stay in power atop bloc containing pro-Iran factions, announces investigation after lawmaker slams his government’s ‘disgraceful stance’ Iraq’s Committee for Freezing Terrorists’ Funds said Thursday that it would correct an official list of designated terrorist organizations following furor from pro-Iran figures in the country over the inclusion of Hezbollah and the Houthis. Both groups, based in Lebanon and Yemen, respectively, are backed by Iran and seek Israel’s destruction. Iran has vast influence over policies in neighboring Iraq. The committee said in a statement carried by Iraq’s state news agency that Baghdad had approved a list of “entities and individuals associated with ISIS and Al-Qaeda” that will have their funds frozen following a request by the government of Malaysia. Most of the groups and people on the list were from Southeast Asia. “Other entities’ names were included due to the list being published before undergoing revision,” the statement said, without naming either Hezbollah or the Houthis. “The Iraqi Gazette will be corrected with the removal of entities and parties from the list of entities associated with the terrorist organizations ISIS and Al-Qaeda.” Afterward, the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani repeated those claims in its own statement on the state news agency. The premier’s office also announced an investigation “to determine responsibility and hold accountable those responsible for the error.” The premier’s statement also affirmed that Iraq’s position “on the aggression against our people in Lebanon or in Palestine are matters of principle which are non-negotiable and reflect the will of the Iraqi people,” referring to the wars between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and against Hezbollah in Lebanon that were launched after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and subsequent Hezbollah attack in Israel. Sudani’s statement comes amid reports in Arabic media that he faces an uphill battle to hold onto the leadership of his parliamentary bloc — which includes pro-Iranian elements — despite its victory in last month’s elections. The decision received wide media attention in Iraq on Thursday morning after pro-Iranian lawmaker Mustafa Sanad pointed out on Facebook that Hezbollah and the Houthis were on the list of groups slated to have their funds frozen. He lamented that the two Iran-backed groups “are classified as terrorist organizations” while US President Donald Trump “is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.” “Shame on you,” he added, addressing the Iraqi government, which he said had adopted “a disgraceful stance” not taken by other Arab governments. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |