ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s parliament speaker has suspended lawmaker Mustafa Jabbar Sanad from parliamentary activities after he slapped a fellow legislator during a closed session discussing the implications of the escalating regional war on Iraq.

Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi issued a parliamentary order on Sunday banning Sanad from participating in parliamentary work and entering the parliament building until he submits an official apology to the parliament presidency and the assaulted lawmaker, Baha al-Araji.

The order also referred Sanad to the parliament’s code of conduct committee for what it described as a serious violation of parliamentary behavior and disruption of order during the session.

The incident occurred during “a secret parliamentary” meeting attended by senior Iraqi military officers to discuss the potential impact of the widening regional conflict on Iraq’s security, according to MP Mohammed Ahmed al-Jumaili.

Jumaili said Sunday in a statement on X that the session was meant to address what he described as the region’s “most dangerous war,” but the only detail that emerged publicly from the closed meeting was the verbal confrontation and Sanad’s slap against Araji.

The altercation quickly drew criticism from some lawmakers, who said the incident reflects poorly on Iraq’s political class at a time when the country faces serious regional security risks.

Unruly behavior descending into physical violence has happened on occasion in the Iraqi legislature, with then-Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani and his first deputy Muhsin al-Mandalawi breaking out into a brawl in August over  a vote to choose the head of the Federal Public Service Council.

Another controversy-provoking incident occurred in the parliament on Saturday, when lawmakers affiliated with pro-Iran factions broke out into chants of "Death to America," "Death to Israel," and " Yes to the resistance."