Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah warns of ‘total war’ if Iran is attacked

Abu Hussein al‑Hamidawi, person of Iraqi equipped group, says warfare against Iran volition not beryllium a ‘walk successful the park’.

Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi paramilitary group, has warned of a “total war” if Iran is attacked, signalling it would militarily enactment Tehran if struggle breaks retired arsenic the United States amasses subject assets successful the region.

The Iran-backed group’s chief, Abu Hussein al‑Hamidawi, issued a fiery connection precocious connected Sunday, calling connected fighters to beryllium prepared for war.

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He said the “forces of darkness” are gathering to subjugate and destruct Iran, describing the state arsenic the “fortress and pride” of Muslims.

“We affirm to the enemies that warfare against the [Islamic] Republic volition not beryllium a locomotion successful the park,” al‑Hamidawi said.

“But rather, you volition sensation the bitterest forms of death, and thing volition stay of you successful our region.”

When Israel and the US attacked Iran successful June past year, its determination allies – known arsenic the “axis of resistance”, which includes Hezbollah successful Lebanon and Iraqi equipped groups – did not travel to its aid.

But al‑Hamidawi suggested that this clip would beryllium different, emphasising “the necessity of supporting it from the forces of the axis and assisting it successful immoderate mode they can”.

Kataib Hezbollah is 1 of the largest groups wrong the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), founded successful 2014 to halt lightning advances by ISIL (ISIS) astatine the time.

In a telephone telephone with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani connected Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Baghdad to support a region from Iran.

Rubio said, “Iraq tin afloat realise its imaginable arsenic a unit for stability, prosperity and information successful the Middle East” arsenic Baghdad is expecting a instrumentality of Nouri al-Maliki arsenic premier curate aft much than 10 years. Al-Maliki archetypal became premier curate successful 2006 with the backing of the US. His ties with the US soured aft helium was accused of implementing sectarian policies that led to the emergence of ISIL successful Iraq.

“The caput emphasised that a authorities controlled by Iran cannot successfully enactment Iraq’s ain interests first, support Iraq retired of determination conflicts oregon beforehand the mutually beneficial concern betwixt the United States and Iraq,” Rubio said, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Tensions betwixt the US and Iran person been approaching a boiling point. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump called connected Iranian antigovernment protesters to instrumentality implicit authorities institutions, telling them that “help is connected the way”.

Trump aboriginal softened his language, saying helium would clasp disconnected attacking Iran aft receiving assurances from Tehran that the state would halt the execution of dissidents.

But the US medication has proceeded to nonstop an craft bearer onslaught radical to the Middle East, boosting its subject beingness successful the Gulf.

In caller days, respective airlines person suspended flights crossed the region, including to Israel, owed to the imaginable of escalation.

Tehran has pledged to support itself against immoderate attack.

“Iran is doing everything it tin diplomatically, but its equipped forces volition respond firmly to immoderate usurpation of the country’s sovereignty,” Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said connected Monday.

Trump warned connected Friday that helium is watching Iran “very closely”, highlighting that the US subject is sending a “big force” towards the country.

“And possibly we won’t person to usage it,” the US president said. “We person a batch of ships going that direction, conscionable successful case, we person a large flotilla going successful that direction, and we’ll spot what happens.”