Iran denies role in Iraq-launched attacks on Saudi Arabia

An Iranian military official, speaking to state broadcaster IRIB, rejected claims linking Tehran to the attacks, saying accusations that Iran was responsible

TEHRAN: Iran has firmly denied any involvement in projectiles launched from Iraq towards Saudi Arabia, dismissing allegations that it was behind the recent attacks on the kingdom’s energy facilities amid escalating tensions across the Middle East.

An Iranian military official, speaking to state broadcaster IRIB, rejected claims linking Tehran to the attacks, saying accusations that Iran was responsible for strikes against United States interests or Saudi Arabia reflected a misunderstanding of the regional situation. The official also insisted that projectiles fired from Iraqi territory towards Saudi targets had no connection with the Islamic Republic.

The denial came after Saudi Arabia announced that its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed several drones targeting petroleum facilities in the country’s Eastern Province. Riyadh alleged that the drones were launched from Iraqi territory by armed groups aligned with Iran.

In response to the attacks, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said American and Saudi forces carried out coordinated precision airstrikes against targets belonging to Iran-aligned groups in Iraq. According to the US military, the operation targeted sites linked to attacks on American personnel and Saudi energy infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia described the strikes as an act of self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, warning that it would take further military action if similar attacks were carried out by Iran-backed groups.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) reported heavy casualties from the joint airstrikes, stating that at least 20 of its members were killed and 32 others injured. The group said its headquarters and military assets in several provinces, including Baghdad, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala, Diyala, Wasit and Nineveh, sustained extensive damage.

The exchange marks another sharp escalation in regional tensions, with diplomatic and military confrontations continuing to raise concerns about wider instability across the Middle East.