SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — The Iraqi Parliament held an extraordinary session on Tuesday to condemn what it called “Zionist aggression” against Iran and the violation of Iraqi sovereignty by Israel.
In a statement issued after the session, the legislature strongly rejected the use of Iraqi airspace for attacks on Iran, voiced support for the government’s response, and urged national unity to confront any regional or international fallout from the conflict.
The session was boycotted by Kurdish parliamentary factions in protest of the federal government’s decision to withhold salary funds for the Kurdistan Region—a move seen as a pressure tactic – though notably, Deputy Speaker Shakhawan Abdulla, a Kurd, did attend.
“Kurdish parliamentary factions will boycott this and any future sessions until the issue of civil servant salaries in the Kurdistan Region is resolved.” Kurdish lawmaker Chro Hama Sharif of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) told Zoom News ahead of the meeting.
The Iraqi Parliament condemned the Israeli airstrikes as a “blatant violation” and called on the Iraqi people to show solidarity with neighboring Iran, expressing full support for the government’s diplomatic efforts at both regional and international levels.
In response to Israel’s airspace violations, the Iraqi government filed an official complaint with the United Nations and other international bodies.