ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Thursday received a phone call from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, reaffirming their close ties after making controversial remarks about Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). According to a statement from Sudani’s office, Aoun “offered clarification regarding the nature and context of his recent statements” and affirmed Lebanon’s “respect and appreciation” for Iraq, its military institutions, and the Iraqi government’s continued support for the Lebanese people. A day earlier, Baghdad had summoned Lebanon’s ambassador to protest comments from Aoun, who cited the Shiite-led PMF as an example Lebanon would not follow if Hezbollah were to be integrated into its national defense system. “Both sides reaffirmed the depth of the relationship between Iraq and Lebanon, and the strength of the historical, cultural, and social bonds between the two brotherly peoples,” the Iraqi statement said. A statement from the Lebanese presidency about the phone call did not explicitly refer to the controversial remarks, but said the two leaders “affirmed… the strength and depth of Lebanese-Iraqi relations, regardless of any factors that might affect them,” adding that they also expressed “their shared desire to strengthen and develop these relations in various fields.” The diplomatic row was triggered by Aoun’s interview with The New Arab, in which he was asked whether Lebanon might replicate the Iraqi model to address Hezbollah’s armed status. “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 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. “It would have been better not to involve Iraq in Lebanon’s internal affairs or to cite an official Iraqi institution in this context.” Hezbollah, long considered the backbone of Iran’s Axis of Resistance, suffered major setbacks following Israel’s retaliation after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks. Israel crippled Hezbollah’s missile-launching capabilities and assassinated the group’s long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah in September. Weeks later, it killed Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah’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.
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