Mass protests in Iraq erupt against Israel's war on Iran, breach of Iraqi airspace

Across multiple provinces, tens of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets on Friday in mass demonstrations sparked by a call from influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The protests, held after Friday prayers, were aimed at condemning Israeli strikes on Iran, repeated violations of Iraqi airspace, and the broader US and Israeli policies in the region.

In a statement published on X (formerly Twitter), Sadr urged supporters to mobilise "in peaceful, organised demonstrations after Friday prayers," to be held in the centre of each Iraqi province. He framed the call as a moral and religious duty in the face of what he described as "Zionist and American terrorism" and their "colonial expansion and hostility toward peoples and religions."

"The protests are in condemnation of massacres and assaults against Arab and Islamic countries, including the aggression against our neighbour Iran, as well as Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen," he wrote, invoking a slogan by his late father, Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr: "No, no to Israel; no, no to America."

Sadr described Israel and the US as "the main culprits behind all wars across the world," accusing them of spreading violence and instability throughout the region.

Following the Friday prayer, tens of thousands of demonstrators across Iraq chanted in unison: "No, no Israel, No, no America." The demonstrations were particularly prominent in Najaf and Baghdad, where protestors waved Iraqi and Palestinian flags and held signs condemning Western interference in the region.

In a symbolic gesture, the Iranian Consul General in Najaf participated in the Friday prayers at the historic Kufa Mosque, which were held in response to Sadr's call. His attendance underscored Iran's deepening engagement with Shia religious institutions in Iraq and the significance of the protests amid heightened regional tensions.

Sadr also condemned the breach of Iraqi airspace by Israeli aircraft targeting Iranian sites. "These air violations are internationally prohibited and dangerous to our people, our sanctities, and our national interests," he warned.

The remarks came as Iraq's top Shia religious authority in Najaf reiterated its firm condemnation of the ongoing Israeli military assault on Iran and warned of grave consequences if the conflict escalates further.

In a statement issued by the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the cleric cautioned against any attempt to target Iran's political or religious leadership. Such actions, it said, would represent a blatant violation of international norms and could push the entire region into uncontrollable chaos.

"Any such criminal act," the statement read, "would portend disastrous consequences, driving the region into total collapse and unleashing turmoil that would compound the suffering of its people and severely damage the interests of all."

Sistani's office urged the international community—mainly Islamic nations—to intensify efforts to halt the conflict and reach a peaceful, lawful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

Meanwhile, Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji on Thursday expressed "deep concern" over the potential for radioactive contamination as Israeli strikes continue to target Iranian nuclear and military facilities.

"The continuation of this war poses not only a threat to neighbouring countries but also risks a global environmental and health catastrophe," Araji said in a statement. He added that the Iraqi government is prepared to work with all parties to de-escalate the situation and prevent further destabilisation.

He further called on the international community, including the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency, to take urgent steps to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

On the ground, media reports suggested that Iran-backed militia factions in Iraq have established a joint operations room and designated three military fronts in the north, central, and western regions of the country. The factions have reportedly developed contingency plans to launch retaliatory attacks against US army positions—both inside Iraq and at American bases across the Gulf region—in the event of further escalation.

According to Iraqi political observers, US forces have evacuated the strategic Ain al-Asad Airbase in western Anbar province, citing fears of potential retaliatory strikes from Iraq-based armed groups. The base has long served as a key hub for American military operations in the country. TNA was unable to independently verify these claims. 

The statements from Sadr, Sistani, and Araji reflect growing alarm in Iraq over the consequences of Israel's strikes on Iran, which targeted facilities near Fordow and Natanz—sites long associated with Iran's nuclear programme. Iraqi officials have previously warned that radioactive leakage from such sites could reach parts of Iraq, the Gulf, and even Turkey.