ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Baghdad summoned the Lebanese ambassador on Wednesday to express its objection to recent remarks by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who cited the Shiite-led Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as an example Beirut does not wish to follow if Hezbollah were to be integrated into the country’s national defense structure.
“The PMF is an essential part of Iraq’s security and military apparatus; it is a legal and governmental institution and an integral component of the Iraqi state,” said foreign ministry undersecretary for bilateral relations Mohammed Bahr al-Uloom during his meeting with Lebanese Ambassador to Baghdad Ali Habhab, as reported by state media.
The diplomatic row was sparked by an interview Aoun gave to the London-based The New Arab, in which he was asked whether Lebanon might replicate the Iraqi model in addressing Hezbollah’s role in the state.
“Absolutely not. There will be no PMF-style force and no independent units within the [Lebanese] army,” Aoun said.
The PMF was formed in 2014 when a number of Shiite militias mobilized in response to a fatwa by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to combat the Islamic State (ISIS). While officially incorporated into Iraq’s security apparatus, many of its factions continue to operate independently and maintain close ties with Iran.
“The comparison made by the Lebanese president was inappropriate,” said Bahr al-Uloom. “It would have been better not to involve Iraq in Lebanon’s internal affairs or to cite an official Iraqi institution in this context.”
He added that the president’s remarks “caused discomfort among Iraqis, particularly since Iraq has consistently stood by Lebanon during times of hardship.”
Bahr al-Uloom expressed hope that the Lebanese president would “rectify his statement in a manner that reinforces the fraternal relationship between the two countries and affirms mutual respect for each state’s sovereignty.”
Habhab affirmed that he would deliver Baghdad’s concerns to Beirut.
“Lebanon counts on Iraq’s role in contributing to its reconstruction efforts alongside its Arab brothers,” he said.
Hezbollah, long considered the backbone of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” suffered major setbacks following Israel’s wide-ranging retaliation after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks. These included crippling Hezbollah’s missile-launching capabilities as well as the assassination of its long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah in September, followed weeks later by the killing of Hashem Safieddine, head of the group’s executive council overseeing military operations.
Border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel persisted until a ceasefire was reached on November 27, requiring Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory and Lebanese armed groups, including Hezbollah, to disarm.
