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Libya: GNA Rejects Operation ‘Irini’ to Oversee Arms Embargo

European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
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Libya: GNA Rejects Operation ‘Irini’ to Oversee Arms Embargo

European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 6, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

Libyan authorities have expressed rejection of a plan, Operation Irini, launched by the European Union to oversee an arms embargo in Libya.

The EU announced earlier a new naval mission in the Mediterranean to enforce an arms embargo on Libya – yet the mission was delayed.

Interior Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fathi Bashagha said that he discussed on Friday military developments with senior officials at the EU. They also discussed the latest updates and the breakthroughs achieved by the GNA forces in defeating illegitimate forces.

Bashagha stressed the unyielding stance of the GNA towards the operation and rejected it in its current form. According to him, the operation halts support to the GNA while allowing for the armament of Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar.

"Irini has the necessary resources to begin its mission," said Peter Stano, spokesman for EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell. EU states agreed on Monday to equip the new operation with ships, planes, and satellites, Stano added.

The Libyan minister added that the countries undermining Libya’s stability and breaching international law through arming illegal forces should be stopped.

Moreover, head of the GNA Fayez al-Sarraj informed European Parliament President David Sassoli of the government's rejection of the operation.

Sarraj added that Libya expected from the neighboring European countries to implement Security Council resolution no. 1970 issued in 2011.

In a related matter, the United Nations’ Libya mission on Thursday expressed concern over the civilian causalities in the country by the forces of Haftar.

“Between 1 January and 31 March 2020, UNSMIL documented at least 131 civilian casualties (64 deaths and 67 injuries). This figure represents an overall increase in civilian casualties of 45 percent compared to the preceding period in the fourth quarter of 2019,” UNSMIL revealed.

“Ground fighting was the leading cause of civilian casualties, followed by targeted killings, airstrikes, and improvised explosive devices,” it added.

“UNSMIL is very concerned by the continued indiscriminate attacks and targeting of civilians in civilian-populated areas and the increase in civilian casualties from the use of rockets and artillery, as well as from targeted killings by forces affiliated to the LNA,” the statement read.

“All parties to the conflict must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law including complying with the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack to prevent civilian casualties,” the statement cited head of UNSMIL Stephanie Williams as saying.

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Sistani Warns Against Targeting Khamenei, Sadr Calls for Mass Protests

A man rides a motorcycle past a billboard depicting Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, along a street in Baghdad on June 19, 2025. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
A man rides a motorcycle past a billboard depicting Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, along a street in Baghdad on June 19, 2025. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
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Sistani Warns Against Targeting Khamenei, Sadr Calls for Mass Protests

A man rides a motorcycle past a billboard depicting Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, along a street in Baghdad on June 19, 2025. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)
A man rides a motorcycle past a billboard depicting Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, along a street in Baghdad on June 19, 2025. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)

As Iraq’s judiciary vowed legal action against anyone seeking to destabilize the country, major Iranian-backed Iraqi militias declared their readiness to take up arms should US President Donald Trump follow through on his repeated threats to target Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Leaders of the prominent militias, including Harakat al-Nujaba and Kata'ib Hezbollah, issued warnings of retaliatory attacks against US interests in Iraq in response to escalating tensions.

Their threats came shortly after Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, cautioned against any attempts to strike Khamenei.

In a move seen as a preemptive effort to safeguard national stability, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council head, Judge Faiq Zidan, convened with security and media officials to discuss ways to strengthen the country’s internal cohesion.

This followed a meeting between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Zidan aimed at addressing growing concerns over potential internal unrest.

Zidan stressed the priority of Iraq’s security and sovereignty during a high-level meeting, warning that anyone attempting to undermine these national interests would face severe legal consequences, according to a statement from the judiciary.

Zidan said: “Iraq’s security and sovereignty are a priority for society, and any attack on these will result in accountability for those trying to harm these national entitlements.”

He added that “propaganda suggesting internal unrest or destabilization will lead to deterrent legal penalties,” underscoring the need for national unity in the wake of the recent Israeli aggression in the region.

Separately, Sistani warned against any attempt to target Khamenei amid repeated US and Israeli threats.

In a statement from his office on Thursday, Sistani called on the international community and world nations to intervene to halt the escalation and find a peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

He condemned ongoing military aggression against Iran and any threats aimed at its highest religious and political leadership. “Such criminal actions, which violate religious and ethical standards as well as international laws and norms, risk severe consequences for the entire region,” Sistani said.

“It could lead to widespread chaos, exacerbating the suffering of peoples and harming the interests of all parties involved to an extreme degree.”

Following calls from the Shiite Coordination Framework for supporters to rally in solidarity with Iran, influential cleric and leader of the Sadrist Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, urged peaceful, organized demonstrations after next Friday’s prayers.

Al-Sadr condemned what he described as “Zionist and American terrorism, colonial expansion, and hostility toward peoples and religions,” calling on Iraqis to unite in protest against these threats.

In a recent social media post, al-Sadr urged Iraqis to take part in “peaceful, organized protests” after Friday prayers next week, calling for demonstrations to be held simultaneously in every provincial capital.

Al-Sadr said the protests were motivated by “religious, ideological, and humanitarian concerns.”

He denounced what he described as massacres and aggression against Arab and Muslim countries, citing recent attacks on neighboring Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, which he called “the main drivers of wars worldwide.”

Meanwhile, the Shiite Coordination Framework - a coalition of major Shiite parties excluding the Sadrist Movement, including the State of Law, Al-Fatah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Al-Nasr, and Al-Hikma blocs - failed to mobilize significant support in their recent call for rallies.

Only dozens reportedly attended those demonstrations, while all signs point to much larger turnouts for the Sadrist protests this coming Friday.

Observers note the protests reflect deep political and sectarian divides in Iraq, with the Sadrist base, which has largely boycotted parliamentary elections, holding significant influence despite lacking parliamentary majorities held by the Coordination Framework parties.