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Sources: Qaani Warns Iraqi Factions against Provoking the Americans

The pro-Iran factions in Iraq have for weeks been toning down their rhetoric and hostile activity after coming under international pressure and given the American strikes against the Houthis. (Reuters file)
The pro-Iran factions in Iraq have for weeks been toning down their rhetoric and hostile activity after coming under international pressure and given the American strikes against the Houthis. (Reuters file)
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Sources: Qaani Warns Iraqi Factions against Provoking the Americans

The pro-Iran factions in Iraq have for weeks been toning down their rhetoric and hostile activity after coming under international pressure and given the American strikes against the Houthis. (Reuters file)
The pro-Iran factions in Iraq have for weeks been toning down their rhetoric and hostile activity after coming under international pressure and given the American strikes against the Houthis. (Reuters file)

Trusted sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat that commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Forces Esmail Qaani has warned Iraqi armed factions “against provoking the Americans and Israelis” or risk the US attacking them the way it is the Houthis in Yemen.

The pro-Iran factions in Iraq have for weeks been toning down their rhetoric and hostile activity after coming under international pressure and given the American strikes against the Houthis.

The sources revealed that Qaani had delivered his message from the Iranian leadership during a recent visit to Iraq.

He asked them against carrying out “any military activity during their critical phase.”

“A single spark could ignite the Iraqi front,” he warned. The factions were “relieved” by the message given the pressure they have been facing for months, said the sources.

Tehran believes that the US “will not hesitate in attacking Iraq if the factions there act to support the Houthis,” they went on to say.

Media reports said Qaani had visited Baghdad last week where he met with politicians in the pro-Iran Coordination Framework and leaders of armed factions. His visits are often held in secret but not this time.

Qaani reiterated Tehran’s “commitment to supporting its allies in Baghdad should they come under American pressure,” added the reports.

Houthis shut Iraqi HQ

Meanwhile, the Yemeni Houthis shut a “strategic” headquarters in a high-class neighborhood near the Green Zone in Baghdad, revealed the sources.

They told Asharq Al-Awsat that a Shiite party from the Framework had helped the Houthis set up the headquarters in 2023. The facility had raised Houthi banners and posters of its leader Abdel Malik al-Houthi.

The sources explained that the position oversaw business and media operations in Baghdad that intensified after Hamas’ al-Aqsa Flood Operation against Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war on Gaza and prompted the Houthis to start attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

The Houthi center was shut in wake of the US strikes on Yemen and at the “firm advice of a Shiite faction,” said the sources. The Houthis complied with the demand and shut the center after noting the Shiite consensus in Baghdad on halting any provocative acts.

The Houthis boast two other centers in Baghdad and another in southern Iraq that they may also close under pressure from the Framework.

The Iraqi government had denied a Foreign Policy report that the Houthis were training their members in the Diyala province.

On March 18, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani the military operations aimed at “eliminating the Houthi threat to American commerce and restoring American freedom of navigation,” said the Pentagon.

Meanwhile, the legitimate Yemeni government confirmed that it was “monitoring Houthi militia activity in any country and the harm they are causing to Arab national security.”

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani called on the Iraqi government to “stand firmly against any Houthi media, political or logistic activity on Iraqi territories.”

He urged it to take “clear steps to ensure that Iraq is not used as a platform or a haven for any entity that threatens the security of Yemen or the region.”

The Yemeni government “is confident that Iraq will not allow itself to be part of the chaos that Iran is seeking to impose through its proxies in the region,” he added.

For a week, the US has been striking Houthi positions in the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the provinces of Saada, al-Bayda and al-Jawf in response to their attacks on Red Sea shipping.

US President Donald Trump vowed to “annihilate” the Houthis, warning Iran against continuing to support them.

The Houthis remained defiant, saying they will continue to attack American vessels in the Red Sea.

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Arab World

Egypt and Russia Discuss Developments in Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the launch of the installation of the pressure vessel for the first reactor at the El-Dabaa nuclear plant last month (Egyptian presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the launch of the installation of the pressure vessel for the first reactor at the El-Dabaa nuclear plant last month (Egyptian presidency)
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Egypt and Russia Discuss Developments in Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the launch of the installation of the pressure vessel for the first reactor at the El-Dabaa nuclear plant last month (Egyptian presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the launch of the installation of the pressure vessel for the first reactor at the El-Dabaa nuclear plant last month (Egyptian presidency)

Egypt and Russia discussed developments in Sudan, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza on Friday during a phone call between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, in the latest round of ongoing coordination and consultations between the two countries on bilateral ties and regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the call covered the close relationship between Egypt and Russia, which it said has gained growing momentum across various areas of cooperation, particularly economic and trade fields.

Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s pride in the strategic partnership binding the two countries, describing it as the governing framework for bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.

He stressed the need to continue joint work to advance ongoing projects, notably the Dabaa nuclear plant, in order to boost Russian investment in Egypt and expand cooperation between both sides.

Last month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin witnessed via video conference the installation of the pressure vessel for the first reactor unit at the nuclear plant, as well as the signing of the nuclear fuel procurement order.

Experts described the step as the first milestone toward nuclear energy production.

El-Dabaa plant is Egypt’s first nuclear power facility, located in the town of Dabaa in Marsa Matrouh governorate on the Mediterranean coast. Russia and Egypt signed a cooperation agreement in November 2015 to build the plant, with the contracts entering into force in December 2017.

Abdelatty underscored during Friday’s call the importance of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and moving ahead with the second phase of the US president’s peace plan for Gaza, noting the need to enable the international stabilization force to carry out its mandate and consolidate the ceasefire.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s efforts within the Quad mechanism to stop the conflict and preserve the unity and integrity of the Sudanese state. He also reiterated Egypt’s longstanding position supporting the unity, sovereignty, security and stability of Lebanon.

He renewed Cairo’s call for respecting the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territory and rejecting any actions or interventions that could undermine the country’s stability, urging the activation of a comprehensive political process that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.

Egypt said in late November that it hoped to see the start of a political process in Sudan without exclusion and reaffirmed its respect for Sudanese sovereignty.

The Quad, which groups Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, has been working to secure a ceasefire in Sudan.

It held a ministerial meeting in Washington in September and stressed the need to exert every effort to resolve the conflict. In August, it proposed a roadmap calling for a three-month humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire, paving the way for a political process and the formation of an independent civilian government within nine months.

The call also touched on developments related to Iran’s nuclear program.

Abdelatty stressed the importance of continued efforts to de-escalate tensions, build confidence and create conditions that offer a real opportunity for diplomatic solutions and the resumption of talks aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement that accommodates the interests of all parties and contributes to regional security and stability.

Separately, Abdelatty and Lavrov discussed the war in Ukraine.

The Egyptian foreign minister reiterated Cairo’s consistent position that efforts must continue to pursue peaceful settlements to crises through dialogue and diplomatic means in a way that preserves security and stability.

Arab World

Yemen Leader Warns against Unilateral Actions Undermining Unity, State Sovereignty

Yemeni armed forces flash the V-sign for victory as they ride in the back of a lorry as they celebrate the 58th anniversary of National Independence Day, in the port city of Aden, November 30, 2025. (Photo by Saleh Al-OBEIDI / AFP)
Yemeni armed forces flash the V-sign for victory as they ride in the back of a lorry as they celebrate the 58th anniversary of National Independence Day, in the port city of Aden, November 30, 2025. (Photo by Saleh Al-OBEIDI / AFP)
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Yemen Leader Warns against Unilateral Actions Undermining Unity, State Sovereignty

Yemeni armed forces flash the V-sign for victory as they ride in the back of a lorry as they celebrate the 58th anniversary of National Independence Day, in the port city of Aden, November 30, 2025. (Photo by Saleh Al-OBEIDI / AFP)
Yemeni armed forces flash the V-sign for victory as they ride in the back of a lorry as they celebrate the 58th anniversary of National Independence Day, in the port city of Aden, November 30, 2025. (Photo by Saleh Al-OBEIDI / AFP)

Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council chief Rashad al-Alimi warned on Friday that unilateral actions and internal disputes within government-controlled areas risk undermining state sovereignty and strengthening the Iran-backed Houthi group.

Al-Alimi made the remarks before leaving the interim capital Aden for Saudi Arabia, where he is set to hold high-level consultations with regional and international partners amid sensitive developments in eastern Yemen, particularly Hadramout.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to national partnership and collective responsibility to complete the transitional phase in line with the 2022 power-transfer declaration and the Riyadh Agreement.

“The state alone bears responsibility for protecting its national institutions and safeguarding citizens’ interests,” Al-Alimi said, warning against any measures that would challenge the government’s or local authorities’ exclusive powers, harm security and stability, deepen humanitarian suffering, or undermine economic recovery and international confidence.

The council chief said restoring state institutions, ending Houthi militia control, and pursuing economic reforms would remain top national priorities. He cautioned that any distraction by side conflicts “only serves the Iranian project and its destructive tools,” according to the state-run Saba news agency.

Al-Alimi praised Saudi Arabia for mediating the latest truce agreement in Hadramout and urged full adherence to its terms. He said the deal should serve as a foundation for stability in Hadramout and the wider region, describing the province as “a cornerstone of Yemen’s and the region’s stability.”

He voiced full support for local authorities and tribal leaders seeking to restore calm and enable Hadramout residents to manage their own local affairs in line with the PLC’s pledges and plan to normalize conditions in the province.

Al-Alimi also instructed the local authorities and relevant ministries to form a committee to investigate alleged human rights and humanitarian law violations and damages to public and private property in the province’s Wadi and desert districts, and to ensure victims receive redress.

The Yemeni leader urged all political and social groups to put aside differences, act responsibly, and unite in facing common challenges. He called for rallying behind the government to fulfill its obligations and place citizens’ welfare and dignity above all else.

Arab World

Lebanon’s Leaders Unite on Technical, Security Track in Talks with Israel

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with UN Security Council Delegation in Beirut (Lebanese Parliament)
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with UN Security Council Delegation in Beirut (Lebanese Parliament)
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Lebanon’s Leaders Unite on Technical, Security Track in Talks with Israel

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with UN Security Council Delegation in Beirut (Lebanese Parliament)
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with UN Security Council Delegation in Beirut (Lebanese Parliament)

Cabinet sources said Lebanon’s three top leaders remain aligned as negotiations with Israel move into a new phase, marked by the appointment of a civilian envoy, former ambassador to Washington and lawyer Simon Karam, to lead Lebanon’s delegation to the Mechanism Committee.

The move is intended to jolt the committee out of months of stagnation and push it toward a security agreement anchored in enforcing a cessation of hostilities, after earlier rounds were dominated by routine tallies of Israeli violations conducted with United Nations peacekeepers.

The sources said the leaders’ agreement to pull the Mechanism out of its deadlock coincided with drawing political boundaries for the talks.

These boundaries are strictly limited to ending Israeli violations and attacks, securing a withdrawal from the south, releasing Lebanese detainees, and revisiting and correcting border demarcation in response to Lebanon’s reservations over disputed points along the Blue Line that it considers part of its sovereign territory.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon insists on restricting the negotiations to non-negotiable security issues. It will not allow the talks to drift into discussions on normalizing relations with Israel or striking a peace agreement.

This position is shared by President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who was the first to propose adding civilians to the Mechanism.

The three leaders reiterated their stance ahead of the first round of talks, attended by US envoy Morgan Ortagus and joined by Karam, in defiance of the agenda set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

They said Netanyahu is trying to raise the stakes to provoke Hezbollah against the state and sow confusion, even as the Israeli army continues its violations to turn the group’s base against it.

This became evident in the targeting of several homes between the banks of the Litani River, despite containing no weapons depots.

The sources said Netanyahu is escalating militarily to force Lebanon to accept Israeli terms, although he knows the negotiations will not deviate from their technical and security framework.

Lebanon, they said, remains committed to ensuring that only the state holds weapons.

The sources noted Berri’s insistence that he was the first to propose adding civilians to the Mechanism and asked where Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem stands on this proposal.

They asked whether he ever objected to his “older brother’s” suggestion, given that Qassem had declared in an open letter to the three leaders that he rejects negotiations with Israel.

Qassem later walked back parts of that letter by having a senior Hezbollah official convey a message that Berri was not its intended target, in an effort to prevent a rupture within the Shiite political camp.

The sources also questioned why Hezbollah objects to the talks if its “older brother” is the one negotiating on its behalf and was behind the United States mediated ceasefire agreement brokered by Amos Hochstein.

They said the only card Hezbollah has left is raising the ceiling of its objections, since it no longer has the ability to reset the negotiating table at a time when the balance of power has tilted in Israel’s favor, particularly after the group’s unilateral support for Gaza cost it its previous deterrence and rules of engagement.

The sources said Hezbollah lacks alternatives that would allow it to reverse the balance of power and is limiting itself to loud political objections that it cannot translate into military action.

This comes despite its insistence on keeping its weapons and its accusation that the Salam government committed a mistake by agreeing to the principle that arms must be exclusively in the hands of the state, beginning from north of the Litani to Lebanon’s international border with Syria, in parallel with progress in the negotiations.

They said Hezbollah is forced to calibrate its position, since it cannot afford to break with Aoun or jeopardize its alliance with Berri, a rupture that would leave the group exposed at a moment when it seeks internal protection.

Any strain in these relationships would also create negative repercussions for the Shiite community. The sources asked why the group does not place its cards in Berri’s hands, as he is better positioned to navigate Shiite public sentiment that seeks the liberation of the south and the return of its residents to their villages.

Berri is viewed, even by rivals, as the essential gatekeeper to any settlement that could restore international attention to Lebanon and open a path for reconstruction. He enjoys Arab and international ties that Hezbollah lacks, as the group remains reliant solely on Iran.

The sources said the negotiations’ entry into a new phase prompted United States pressure on Israel to prevent the war from expanding, after Lebanon agreed to Washington’s request to add a civilian to the Mechanism and task him with leading the delegation.

They urged Hezbollah to stand behind the state’s diplomatic choice and said the group’s fears that the talks could lead to a peace treaty with Israel are unfounded.

They noted that Berri himself was the first to support bringing civilians into the process, which should reassure Hezbollah and encourage it to give diplomacy a chance.

They added that Salam is not acting unilaterally and is coordinating with Aoun. Both leaders are working together to implement the government’s commitment to ensuring that only the state holds weapons.

They also revealed that communication between Aoun and Berri has not stopped. The two men reviewed the atmosphere surrounding the Mechanism’s meeting in Naqoura before the latest cabinet session.

According to the sources, Berri instructed his parliamentary bloc and senior Amal Movement members not to comment on the negotiations, positively or negatively.

The directive came because he wants to centralize the political message and avoid dragging party members on both sides into disputes that could spill into the streets.

Hezbollah, they said, also wants to protect its relationship with its sole remaining ally in Lebanon after its former partners in the so-called Axis of Resistance endorsed the principle of exclusive state authority over weapons.

The sources said Hezbollah knows that avenues for repairing its Arab and international relations remain closed, unlike Berri who maintains wide ties.

They questioned what Hezbollah is counting on after its leadership rejected Egypt’s initiative, insisting, according to Western diplomatic sources cited by Asharq Al-Awsat, on linking its position to US-Iran negotiations in hopes of safeguarding Iran’s leverage in Lebanon after regional setbacks for the Axis.

They said the government will take note of Hezbollah’s objection, although it will have no impact on the course of the talks.

Hezbollah will not mobilize its supporters in the streets to avoid friction with Amal, particularly since Berri does not oppose the launch of negotiations, which remain tied to liberating the south and implementing Resolution 1701.

Any attempt by Hezbollah to outbid Berri for populist gain would backfire and weaken the group’s standing within its own community.