Iraq's prime minister and top Shiite cleric condemned on Friday the US killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and the deputy chief of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in Baghdad.
The US killed Soleimani, head of the Quds Force and architect of Iran's spreading military influence in the Middle East, in a strike at Baghdad airport. Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was also killed.
"The assassination of an Iraqi military commander who holds an official position is considered aggression on Iraq ... and the liquidation of leading Iraqi figures or those from a brotherly country on Iraqi soil is a massive breach of sovereignty," Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said.
Abdul Mahdi said in a statement the US airstrike was "a dangerous escalation that will light the fuse of a destructive war in Iraq, the region, and the world."
The prime minister resigned in November due to anti-government protests, but remains in office in a caretaker capacity.
He said the US strike violated terms of the US military presence in Iraq, adding that American troops were exclusively in Iraq to train Iraqi security forces and fight ISIS within the framework of a global coalition.
Abdul Mahdi called on parliament to convene an extraordinary session to "take legislative steps and necessary provisions to safeguard Iraq's dignity, security and sovereignty."
Iraq's deputy parliament speaker said an emergency legislative session was set for Saturday to discuss the US airstrike.
Some officials and parliamentarians have called for steps to expel US troops from Iraq.
Deputy Speaker Hassan al-Kaabi said it is time to put an end to “US recklessness and arrogance,” adding that Saturday's session will be dedicated to taking "decisive decisions that put an end to US presence inside Iraq."
Abdul Mahdi described Soleimani and Muhandis as "huge symbols of the victory against ISIS terrorists."
Top Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani called on all parties to practice restraint.
"The vicious attack on Baghdad international airport last night is an insolent breach of Iraqi sovereignty and international agreements. It led to the killing of several commanders who defeated ISIS terrorists," Sistani's office said in a statement.
"These events and more indicate the country is heading towards very difficult times. We call on all concerned parties to behave with self restraints and act wisely," he said.
Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr also ordered his followers to be ready to defend Iraq and urged all sides to behave wisely.
Iraq's military condemned said the killing of al-Muhandis was a clear breach of the US forces’ mandate in Iraq.
"The Joint Operations Command mourns the hero martyr ... who was martyred last night in a cowardly and treacherous attack carried out by American aircraft near Baghdad international airport," it said in a statement.
"We affirm that what happened is a flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a clear breach by the American forces of their mandate which is exclusively to fight ISIS and provide advice and assistance to Iraqi security forces."
The United States embassy in Baghdad urged all citizens to depart Iraq immediately, hours after the airstrike.
"Due to heightened tensions in Iraq and the region, the US Embassy urges American citizens to heed the January 2020 Travel Advisory and depart Iraq immediately. US citizens should depart via airline while possible, and failing that, to other countries via land," it said in a statement.
