Iraq’s parliamentary Security and Defence Committee has called on Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to include funding in the federal budget for the acquisition of advanced air defence systems.
Committee member Karim Alaywi al-Muhammadawi told Shafaq News that the panel raised the issue during a recent meeting with the prime minister, urging the government to allocate funds to the Defence Ministry under the budget law to procure modern air defence systems from South Korea, China and Russia.
“The committee pressed for the country not to rely on a single supplier for its weapons,” al-Muhammadawi said, emphasizing the importance of diversifying Iraq’s sources of military equipment.
The committee has previously called for air defence and air force funding to be separated from the broader Defence Ministry budget. Lawmakers argued that a dedicated and sustained funding mechanism is necessary to develop an integrated air defence capability and strengthen Iraq’s deterrence.
By Vafa Guliyeva
