On the evening of 8 August, AAH's official Al-Ahad TV published summaries from its "Before Tomorrow" programme carrying two political researchers with materially opposed positions. Nawal al-Mousawi said the Saudi strike had turned Iraq into an arena of conflict, that a military response was impossible and not in the public interest, that the factions have no right to respond and that the decision of war and peace lies with the state alone, adding that the factions represent a challenge to the state's existence. Roughly a minute later, and again a minute after that, the channel carried Kamel al-Kanani saying the factions did not strike Saudi Arabia and do not fear announcing their operations, that postponing the response is "wisdom", that America will not leave Iraq and the weapons will remain with the factions, and that Iran did not intervene in the decision to confine weapons to the state.
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official08 Aug, 23:54
“A military response against Saudi Arabia is "impossible" and does not serve the public interest — the factions have no right to respond to Saudi Arabia and the decision is the state's — the decision of war and peace is in the state's hands alone — the factions represent a challenge to the existence of the state.”
الرد العسكري على السعودية "مستحيل" ولا يصب في الصالح العام - الفصائل لا تمتلك حق الرد على السعودية والقرار قرار الدولة - قرار السلم والحرب بيد الدولة فقط - الفصائل تمثل تحديا على وجود الدولة
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official08 Aug, 23:54
“The factions did not strike Saudi Arabia and are not afraid to announce it — Saudi Arabia has refrained from presenting evidence that it was targeted by the factions — postponing the factions' response to Saudi Arabia is "wisdom".”
الفصائل لم تضرب السعودية ولا تخشى الاعلان عن ذلك - السعودية امتنعت عن تقديم دليل استهدافها من قبل الفصائل - تأجيل رد الفصائل على السعودية "حكمة"
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official08 Aug, 23:55
“The factions' response to the Saudi-American aggression is only postponed — America will not leave Iraq and the weapons will remain in the hands of the factions — Iran did not intervene in the decision to confine weapons to the state.”
رد الفصائل على العدوان السعودي الاميركي مؤجل فقط - اميركا لن تغادر العراق والسلاح سيبقى بيد الفصائل - ايران لم تتدخل بقرار حصر السلاح بيد الدولة
The deniability line and the deferred-response line, aired together on the flagship channel of one of the largest factions, mean any future attack attributed to Iraqi factions can be met with a prepared denial that is already on record, while the option to claim it later has not been surrendered.