BAGHDAD, May 10 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, ruled out Iraq as the ground for “settling accounts” by the U.S. and its rival, Iran.
Al-Kadhimi made the remarks, after separately receiving the U.S. and Iranian ambassadors to Iraq, during which he expressed his country’s keenness to cooperate with all countries.
During his meeting with U.S. Ambassador, Matthew Tueller, al-Kadhimi underscored the need for bilateral cooperation, in the economic and security fields, as well as, for preparing for strategic dialogue between the two countries, the prime minister’s media office said in a statement.
Al-Kadhimi also asserted the need to maintain security and stability in the region, while reiterating that Iraq will not be a ground for settling accounts and launching attacks on any neighbouring or friendly country, the statement said.
Tueller congratulated al-Kadhimi for taking office, after gaining confidence of the Iraqi parliament, confirming U.S. readiness to support Iraq in all aspects, particularly in the economic field and in containing the COVID-19 spread, the statement added.
Also in the day, al-Kadhimi held a meeting in his office with Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi, during which he confirmed Iraq’s keenness to maintain the best relations with Iran and all other neighbouring countries, to serve the interests of the two neighbours, as well as regional security and stability.
“Al-Kadhimi stressed that Iraq will not be a passage or hotbed for terrorism against any country or a ground for settling accounts.”
For his part, Masjedi congratulated al-Kadhimi for taking office and expressed his country’s willingness to develop bilateral ties in all aspects, it added.
Al-Kadhimi’s comments came, amid rising tensions between Iran and the U.S. on Iraqi soil, since the U.S. assassination of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq’s paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, in a drone attack near the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
The Iranian-backed militias frequently attacked Iraqi military bases, housing U.S. troops across Iraq, as well as, the U.S. embassy inside the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad.
Around 5,000 U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq, to support Iraqi forces in the battle against the Daesh, mainly for training and advisory purposes.
