FM says Iraq resists efforts to drag country into regional war

Iraq faces intense external pressure to enter the widening Middle East conflict despite Baghdad’s consistent efforts to block regional escalation, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated in an interview broadcast by Al Hadath.

Highlighting the steep economic and human toll the current instability has already inflicted on the country, Hussein disclosed that approximately 200 Iraqi citizens have been killed to date. Furthermore, the deteriorating security environment has forced Iraq to completely halt its vital crude oil exports.

The Foreign Minister reaffirmed Iraq's strategic commitment to maintaining stable relations with its neighbours in the Persian Gulf, explicitly condemning recent cross-border attacks against Gulf states. He added that Baghdad remains prepared to engage in comprehensive regional security cooperation, specifically through the rapid sharing of intelligence.

Addressing domestic security and state sovereignty, Hussein noted that the government’s efforts to disarm autonomous factions and centralise arms control under official state authority face significant challenges. The minister acknowledged that major pro-Iranian paramilitary groups operating within the country, including Kataib Hezbollah and Hezbollah al-Nujaba, have yet to clarify their positions regarding the surrender of their arsenals to the federal government.

By Tamilla Hasanova