A controversial report that appeared in an Iraqi publication has claimed that Iraqi Prime Minister al-Zaidi recently told a meeting that he was privy to a leaked information regarding the US war plan against Iran presented to US President Donald Trump, which involved a ground invasion.
In the closed-door meeting with ‘Coordination Framework’, the coalition of Shiite parties, al-Zaidi said that the scenario involved a ground invasion of southern Iran using Iraqi territory as a transit route. The report cannot be verified, and neither Iraqi nor US officials have made any statement about this plan.
Al-Zaidi described three possible scenarios to the meeting participants. The first involved American ground forces using Iraqi territory as a platform for an invasion of southern Iran, especially the oil-rich Khuzestan region, which borders the Iraqi province of Basra.
The Prime Minister reportedly also expressed concerns that his government could face pressure from Tehran to allow the passage of forces or militias loyal to Iran through the Basra region to carry out a military move against Kuwait. He also fears that Washington could demand that the Iraqi government act immediately and decisively to dismantle the pro-Iranian militias operating in its territory, the report added.
Al-Zaidi, who tries to maintain a neutral position, was also using the information to deter the militia leaders. He also made it clear that Iraqi involvement in the conflict could lead to the destruction of the country, and that he would not allow Iraqi territory to become a base for attacks.
The meeting came after a phone call between al-Zaidi and President Trump last Thursday. During the call, the Iraqi prime minister reportedly stressed that Baghdad opposes the use of its territory for attacks against neighbouring countries.
However, Israeli media believes that the “leak of the information” could be a ploy by the Iraqi government to put political pressure, mainly to restrain the militias within Iraq.
