Tehran says “Iraq exempt from all Hormuz restrictions”; Baghdad protests against strikes on Iran

Iraqi citizens took to Liberation Square in Baghdad on Saturday to stage a peaceful protest against the ongoing US-Israel military operations targeting Iran. Demonstrators demanded an immediate halt to the strikes and voiced opposition to the long-term US military presence across Iraq and the wider Middle East.

Since February 28, airstrikes have repeatedly targeted bases of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which have publicly condemned the US and Israel for the attacks.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials expressed gratitude for Iraq’s stance. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said that Iraq is “completely excluded from any transit restrictions imposed by Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz,” noting that limitations only apply to hostile nations.

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He lauded Iraqi citizens and PMF fighters for their solidarity with Iran, highlighting their “high-impact and revolutionary reaction” to attacks and their support for Tehran during the ongoing crisis.

Tensions in the region have escalated since the February 28 joint US-Israel operation, which Tehran says was aimed at undermining its nuclear and missile programs. Iran has reportedly retaliated against US and Israeli assets in the region, with security and trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, affected. Iran also commemorated the deaths of martyrs, including PMF fighters in Iraq, underscoring the close coordination between Iranian and Iraqi resistance forces amid the regional conflict.