The Secretary-General of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, stated that "the attempted assassination of the Iraqi Prime Minister is a new sedition." Shamkhani commented on the targeting of Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's home in a tweet: "This attempt should be investigated in foreign think tanks, which have brought nothing but insecurity, discord, and instability to the oppressed Iraqi people for years by creating and supporting terrorist groups and occupying the country," as he described it. Shamkhani's tweet represents the first official Iranian reaction to the failed assassination attempt on Al-Kadhimi early Sunday morning.
Al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt by a drone laden with explosives that targeted his residence in the Green Zone in Baghdad, according to official Iraqi sources. An announcement from the Security Media Cell stated: "A failed assassination attempt was made against the Iraqi Prime Minister using an explosive-laden drone that tried to target his residence in the Green Zone in Baghdad without causing him any harm."
Al-Kadhimi posted a video on his official Twitter account after the incident, stating, "My home was subjected to a cowardly attack, and thank God, I and those who work with me are in good health." He added, addressing the Iraqis: "Your heroic security forces are working towards stabilizing and protecting Iraq. Cowardly rockets and cowardly drones do not build nations or create futures; we are working on building our homeland by respecting the state and its institutions and establishing a better future for all Iraqis."
The assassination attempt on Al-Kadhimi came at a time when the country is experiencing severe political tensions following the results of the early parliamentary elections held on October 10, as political blocs representing the Popular Mobilization Forces—a coalition of Iran-aligned Shiite factions within the armed forces—reject the preliminary results that showed a decrease in their seats.
