Mahdi's predecessor, Haider al-Abadi, said during an appearance on Iraqi television that the country's government approved the 3 January strike that killed Soleimani and Iraqi Shia militia group commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near Baghdad International Airport. In response, Mahdi's press representatives denied the allegations.
"We completely deny the information circulating in the media that the Iraqi authorities gave permission to the US unmanned aerial vehicle that attacked the martyrs [Soleimani and al-Muhandis] … On the contrary, [the authorities] strictly adhered to the rules of movement both on the ground and in the air, although from time to time, violations were recorded," the former prime minister's representatives said in a statement.
8 December 2020, 23:34 GMT
On 2 January, a few hours prior to the strike, then-US coalition commander Lt. Gen. Robert White sent a message demanding greater coordination and a removal of restrictions placed on Iraqi airspace, Mahdi's representatives said, adding that no such permission for the attack was given at that time.
Mahdi issued a strong condemnation of the US airstrike that killed Soleimani and al-Muhandis in the immediate aftermath of the incident. On Thursday, US officials confirmed that staffing levels at the country's embassy in Baghdad were being drastically reduced ahead of the one-year anniversary of the strike.
