'Zionist pressure:' Israel acts to thwart Western, Asian arms deals with Iraq - report
The sources claimed the alleged deals included surface-to-air missile systems, radars, and military equipment.
Israel has applied significant pressure on various Asian and European countries to thwart arms contracts with Iraq, according to a Monday report by the London-based Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, citing three Iraqi sources.
The sources, an Iraqi Defense Ministry official and two parliament members, claimed the alleged deals included surface-to-air missile systems, radars, and military equipment.
A parliament member said that despite previous agreements, negotiations for weapon deals with France, Italy, and Germany fell through, while shipments from South Korea are set to be delivered later than planned. "Due to Western sanctions on Russia, especially regarding arms, Iraq has recently turned to six European and Asian countries to acquire a military arsenal for air defense," the defense ministry official was cited by the Qatari news outlet as saying.
He further noted, according to the report, "despite the warm welcome and expressions of initial approval, the implementation procedures related to agreement and signing are facing delays, and recently, there has been an apology citing an inability to meet Iraq's needs at this time."
Air defense systems dating to the 1990s
He claimed that his country had received "information on Zionist pressure, at various levels, within the countries Iraq has approached," which would counter Iraq's efforts.
The official reportedly added that one country had offered Iraq an air defense system dated to the 1990s.
According to the report, the weapon deals follow the Iraqi Defense Ministry's request that the country bolster its defense capabilities amid regional tensions.
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