Iraq summons Lebanese ambassador after Aoun criticises Popular Mobilisation Forces

Iraq's foreign ministry has summoned the Lebanese ambassador in Baghdad, Ali Habhab, on Wednesday in protest over recent comments by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who said in an interview with The New Arab's Arabic language edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Lebanon has no intention of replicating Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) model.

In a statement, the ministry said that Deputy Foreign Minister for Bilateral Relations Mohammed Bahr Al-Uloom met Habhab and expressed Baghdad's concern over what it called "inappropriate" remarks by the Lebanese president.

The move came after leaders of the PMF reportedly expressed disagreement with Aoun's comments, according to an Iraqi foreign ministry official who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

"The PMF is an important part of Iraq's official security and military structure," the statement read. "It is a government-sanctioned institution and should not be cited as an example in the context of Lebanon’s internal affairs, which do not concern Iraq."

The ministry stressed Iraq's longstanding support for Lebanon during difficult times and said it was inappropriate for Iraq to be drawn into Lebanon's internal debates.

Bahr Al-Uloom expressed hope that the Lebanese presidency would clarify the remarks in a way that preserves bilateral relations and respects the sovereignty of each country.

According to the Iraqi statement, Ambassador Habhab reaffirmed Lebanon’s appreciation for its "brotherly" ties with Iraq and said he would relay Baghdad's concerns to President Aoun.

He also reiterated Lebanon's reliance on Iraq's pivotal role in reconstruction and regional cooperation.

In recent years, Iraq has supplied Lebanon with fuel to help alleviate its electricity shortages, and during Israel's all-out war on Lebanon, Iraq hosted tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese.

The latest diplomatic spat came after Aoun's interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, in which he said that Lebanon would not seek to emulate the PMF model in its efforts to ensure that all arms are under state control. His comments were interpreted by some in Baghdad as equating the PMF with militias rather than a formal part of Iraq’s security establishment.

The PMF, an Iran-backed Shia armed group formed in 2014 to combat Islamic State militants, were later integrated into Iraq’s official security apparatus under a 2016 law that recognised them as a state-sanctioned military body operating under the command of the prime minister.

In response to the uproar, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani defended the PMF during a public forum in Sulaymaniyah, describing it as "a vital institution and an integral part of Iraq’s security system".