PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC: THERE ARE NO IRANIAN FORCES IN IRAQ, NOR ANY IRAQI FORCES IN IRAN

 PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC: THERE ARE NO IRANIAN FORCES IN IRAQ, NOR ANY IRAQI FORCES IN IRAN

Speaking to CNN Arabic

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid denied on Wednesday the presence of Iranian forces inside Iraq or vice versa, noting that the matter is limited to a regular exchange of delegations to discuss common issues. He also reiterated that the absence of an oil and gas law is behind the outstanding issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region, during a television interview with CNN Arabic.

he Arab Summit is essential in the current circumstances. The Middle East and Arab countries are suffering from several problems, most notably the aggression against the Palestinian people and the internal situations in Sudan, Syria, and Lebanon.

There is a genuine intention on the part of the Arab countries and the countries of the region to end the suffering of the Palestinian people.

We must work to stop the fighting in Palestine, deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, and then develop a political roadmap for Palestinians to achieve their legitimate rights in accordance with United Nations resolutions.

Syria is an important country for Iraq in all social, religious, and cultural aspects. We are connected to each other, and we want good and strong relations with Syria. We want the Syrian government to take into consideration the Syrian people in all their diversity and ensure their representation.

We have a long border with Syria, and there are terrorists on the border, either alone or with their families of various nationalities. This security issue must be resolved amicably with the Syrian side.

We are working to resolve the border security crisis with Türkiye and the presence of its forces inside Iraq, especially given the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s decision to pursue peaceful means to resolve the issue.

Our relations with Türkiye are good in terms of trade and diplomacy, and our trade is strong, amounting to tens of billions annually. We hope to resolve the security issue.

Our relations with Iran are long-standing, normal, and strong. There are no Iranian forces inside Iraq or vice versa. There is a constant exchange of delegations to discuss all existing issues.

Most of Iraq’s water resources come from Türkiye and Iran, and most of it comes from Türkiye. We need a fair share to meet the needs of the population and agricultural requirements.

Our relations with neighboring countries and the region, including Egypt and Jordan, are strong and solid, and there is an exchange of expertise and business to improve infrastructure.

Our relations with the United States are normal and good, and agreements exist between the two parties and are being studied jointly. The decision on whether or not to keep forces is left to the ongoing negotiations between the two parties.

We welcome the visit of President Trump and European delegations to the region to hear directly from the region’s leaders about existing problems and work to resolve them.

We hope that the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran will be successful and will benefit everyone.

Iraq is ready to serve as a mediator between Iran and the United States to ensure the success of negotiations, if requested.

The absence of an oil and gas law is behind the outstanding issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region. Negotiations are ongoing between the two sides to resolve issues such as salaries, oil, and other matters.

The elections will be held on schedule, and we are working to ensure that they are safe, stable, and fair, ensuring broad participation by the Iraqi people.

(60%) of Iraq’s population are young people, and they constitute the largest group. They must be supported, and we need their participation in supporting the political process, defending security and stability, and for them to be an interested part in solving problems.