Iraq and Iran warn of full-fledged regional war without immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon

Foreign ministers hold talks and call for end to Israeli aggression

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, meets his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in Baghdad on Sunday. AP

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Iraq and Iran on Sunday called for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, warning any further escalation would lead to a full-fledged war in the region with global implications.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after meeting his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in Baghdad: "Our region is facing extremely dangerous challenges."

Mr Araghchi's visit to Iraq comes with the Middle East on high alert for further escalation as Israel battles Iran-backed groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, and is threatening to retaliate against Iran's recent missile attack. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel's response would be "lethal, precise and surprising".

"There is a possibility of escalation and conflicts," Mr Araghchi warned, with a likelihood the wars in Gaza and Lebanon would extend to other countries and lead to a "full-fledged war throughout the entire region".

"We are not afraid of war, we are ready for war, but at the same time we don’t want war, but peace," he said, and called for an end to Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon.

Iraq's Foreign Minister said continuing fighting "will lead to the destabilisation of security and peace in the entire region".

Mr Hussein assured Mr Araghchi Iraq would not allow its airspace to be used in any attack on Iran. "We in Iraq categorically reject using the Iraqi airspace as part of the war zone. We are trying to ward off the spectre of war from the region, especially Iraq," he said.

"War will affect navigation in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, and eventually will lead to a big international crisis in economy and energy."

Mr Araghchi arrived in Baghdad to continue “consultations with Muslim countries on critical situations in our region as the result of the Israeli regime’s genocidal attacks and aggressions in Gaza and Lebanon”, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on X earlier.

He was expected to also meet Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani.

Early this month, Iran launched a barrage of between 180 and 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, head of the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. Israel said several airbases were hit but the attack appeared to do little damage to infrastructure, with military operations unaffected. Most of the missiles were intercepted by Israel's air defence systems and with the help of the US and other allies. Israel has threatened to retaliate, putting the region on edge.

In a post on X, Mr Araghchi also warned the US against posting military personnel in Israel following reports that Washington might send Israel batteries of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence systems. The highly complex system would need to be operated by US forces.

“The US has been delivering record amount of arms to Israel,” he said. “It is now also putting lives of its troops at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel. While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests.”

The US announced later on Sunday that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin had authorised the deployment of a THAAD battery in Israel on the orders of President Joe Biden.

Baghdad is Mr Araghchi’s third stop in a tour of regional states after visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh on Wednesday, after which they called for an end to the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. He headed to Doha the following day and met Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Sources told The National that Tehran has sought the support of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other nations in the Middle East to de-escalate tension that could exacerbate the conflict in the region.

Diplomatic sources said Mr Araghchi's tour is aimed at “defending” Iran's position regarding the war with Israel. Part of his trip is aimed at seeking "political support" from key Gulf and Arab countries to "reach a ceasefire in Gaza and stop the war in Lebanon and prevent a wider war in the region", they said.