He stated, "We completely reject the provision of advanced artillery to the Peshmerga," arguing that it poses a threat to Nineveh and Kirkuk and could be used in ethnic and partisan conflicts.
According to SharPress, al-Halbousi, the first Sunni Arab leader to hold this position, expressed his opposition to the provision of heavy artillery weapons to the Peshmerga forces, saying, "This will be a threat to Nineveh and Kirkuk, and I believe it will be used in ethnic and partisan conflicts."
On August 6, 2024, another convoy of coalition aid, including a number of howitzer cannons, was provided to the Peshmerga Ministry by coalition forces. These were then handed over to the two support command forces (1 and 2) of the Peshmerga Ministry in a ceremony.
On his personal X account, Mohammed al-Halbousi, the head of the Al-Taqadum Party, wrote: "We reject the arming of local forces (with advanced heavy artillery) in any way. Their basic duty is only to maintain internal security within their area of responsibility."
Reports suggest that the delivery of these weapons to the Peshmerga forces was approved by Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Prime Minister.
Al-Halbousi wrote, "This action is unacceptable and will be a factor in undermining the national security of the community as a whole and the provinces of Nineveh and Kirkuk in particular. There is also a risk of using these weapons in ethnic or partisan conflicts."
The ousted Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament stressed, "This type of weapon should only be in the hands of the Iraqi army, and we always call for strengthening its capabilities and skills."