Iraq's Shiite Leader Muqtada Sadr Warns Iran’s IRGC Against Escalation, Urges Iraqi Militia Groups to Avoid Conflict

BAGHDAD, July 29: Influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to avoid targeting Iraqi territory and urged Iraqi armed factions not to provide grounds for foreign military action, warning against dragging Iraq into a wider regional conflict.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, al-Sadr said Iraq should not be used as a launchpad for attacks against Iran, while appealing to the IRGC to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and independence.

He also warned what he described as “outlaw militias” against actions that could provoke military responses from Arab Gulf states, stressing that any violation of Iraqi territory must be condemned regardless of the source.

Al-Sadr called on the Iraqi government to strengthen its control over security affairs, protect the country’s sovereignty, and prevent Iraq from being drawn into war or sectarian tensions. He said Iraq and its people need peace after decades of conflict that have drained the nation’s resources.

The statement follows a period of heightened regional tensions, including reported IRGC strikes targeting Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and a joint US-Saudi operation targeting Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq.

The latest developments have raised concerns over the possibility of Iraq becoming a battleground in a broader confrontation involving Iran, the United States, and regional actors.

Al-Sadr’s statement marks his first direct response to the recent escalation, addressing both Tehran and Iraqi armed factions and urging restraint to prevent further instability.