Iraq summoned the Iranian ambassador and demanded that Tehran provide a "frank clarification" about the missile attack that targeted the Erbil Governorate, in the northern region of Iraq.
Iraq called on Iran, on Sunday, for a "frank clarification" about the missile attack that targeted the Erbil Governorate, in the northern region of Iraq.
This came in a statement issued by the Iraqi National Security Ministerial Council, after its exceptional meeting, headed by the caretaker Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, in the capital, Baghdad, to discuss the attack.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman announced that his country had summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest the Erbil attack.
And earlier on Sunday, the Counter-Terrorism Service in northern Iraq announced, in a statement, that Erbil was attacked at dawn by 12 ballistic missiles fired from outside the country from the east, and targeted a neighborhood near the American consulate, without causing casualties.
Later, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the attack, indicating that it had targeted "the strategic center of Zionist conspiracy and evil."
The Ministerial Council statement stated that "the missile attack that was launched from Iranian territory and targeted the Iraqi city of Erbil is an attack on the principle of good neighborliness between Iraq and Iran, and the historical relationship that binds the peoples of the two neighboring countries, as well as a violation of international laws and norms."
And he added: "Iraq has previously announced its refusal to violate its sovereignty and use its territory to settle scores between countries and entities."
He declared that "Iraq has requested, through diplomatic outlets, frank and clear explanations from the Iranian side, and is awaiting a position from the Iranian political leadership in rejecting the aggression."
Commenting on the attack, the Northern Iraqi Regional Government said in a statement, "Erbil was subjected to a cowardly attack under the pretext of striking an Israeli base near the American consulate in Erbil."
Meanwhile, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, agreed with the former president of the northern Iraqi region, Massoud Barzani, to form a committee "to investigate allegations of the presence of Israeli headquarters in Erbil," according to a statement by al-Sadr's office.
There was no immediate comment from Iran about the Iraqi demand, nor from Israel about the news of the attack targeting its headquarters in Erbil.