Iran-backed armed group warns of ‘long war’ if US strikes Tehran

Iraqi faction Kataib Hezbollah has said any attack on Iran would directly threaten its own interests and could trigger a regional confrontation

An Iran-backed Iraqi armed group has ordered its fighters to prepare for a potential “long war of attrition” in the event of US strikes on Tehran, warning that Washington would suffer heavy losses if it launches a new conflict in the region.

The statement by Kataib Hezbollah comes after a third round of indirect US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva ended without a deal, and as Washington continues to deploy additional warships and aircraft to the Middle East.

In a statement on Thursday, the group’s operations command said that “amidst the American threats and military buildup that foreshadow a dangerous escalation in the region,” it was necessary “to prepare for a potentially protracted war of attrition, exceeding the American administration’s estimates.”

“Should America, the embodiment of evil, ignite the flames of war in the region, it will find itself facing immense losses that will be impossible to contain or compensate for,” the statement reads.

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Speaking to AFP, a commander from an Iraqi armed faction said his group views Iran as “strategic” to its own interests and believes that any strike on the country “directly threatens us.”

During last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, Iran-aligned Iraqi groups did not intervene directly. This time, however, the commander said they would be “less restrained,” especially in the event of strikes seeking regime change in Tehran.

For much of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, militias linked to Iran in Iraq and Syria launched rockets and drones at US bases in the region. A Hezbollah representative told AFP this week that the Lebanese group would stay out of “limited” US strikes on Iran, but would treat any attempt to target Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as crossing a “red line.”

Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported last week that the Israel Defense Forces are readying large scale preemptive strikes on Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq to deter them from assisting Tehran, and have used mediators to warn that any attack on Israel would trigger a “massive and unprecedented response.”

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The US has now amassed its largest military presence in the Middle East since before its 2003 invasion of Iraq. President Donald Trump has insisted that Tehran curtail its uranium enrichment and missile programs. Tehran has maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and has vowed it will not be deterred.

Trump has said he prefers a diplomatic solution but has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran if it does not accept a new agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated after the Geneva talks that “very good progress” had been made, but insisted that Washington must abandon what he called “excessive demands” if a new nuclear agreement is to be reached. Further negotiations will be conducted in parallel to meetings between technical teams in Vienna in the coming days, he said.