IRAQ PERSPECTIVE

Iraqi media coverage reveals a distinct perspective centred on Iraq's victimisation and its precarious position as a buffer state within regional conflict. The dominant emphasis falls on repeated violations of Iraqi sovereignty, presented as unacceptable and destructive to the country's diplomatic efforts. This defensive posture emerges particularly in al-Sudani's statements, positioning Iraq as a peaceful mediator suffering consequences of a conflict beyond its control. The tone oscillates between indignation at sovereignty breaches and factual resignation to geopolitical realities.

The Iraqi narrative framework presents three distinct protagonists: Iraq as collateral victim, Iran as legitimate regional partner, and a US-Israeli coalition as assertive force. This triangulation carefully avoids designating clear antagonists, reflecting the diplomatic balancing act necessary in Baghdad. An article on the World Cup exemplifies this dynamic perfectly: even in sport, Iraq appears as an indirect beneficiary of regional tensions, revealing a pragmatic approach to opportunities created by instability.

Mediatic silences reveal the constraints of Iraq's geopolitical position. No explicit condemnation of Iran or its allied militias appears despite their role in escalation. The presence of Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) on Iraqi territory is presented as an established fact without critical examination. This omission reflects Iranian influence over Iraq's political system and Baghdad's inability to challenge this presence without risking internal destabilisation.

Structural biases expose fundamental contradictions in Iraq's position. On one hand, the government claims national sovereignty and rejects use of its territory as a battlefield. On the other, it tolerates pro-Iranian militias that are precisely the targets of foreign strikes. This structural ambiguity appears in media coverage denouncing effects—the strikes—without questioning causes: the presence of non-state armed groups. Iraq finds itself trapped between contradictory alliances with Washington and Tehran, seeking to preserve precarious equilibrium whilst bearing consequences of a conflict beyond its reach.