Twitter
Advertisement

Will keep away from US-Iran conflict: Iraq

Iraq wants to "keep away" from the U.S.-Iran conflict, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Wednesday.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Iraq wants to "keep away" from the U.S.-Iran conflict, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Wednesday.

Baghdad wants to maintain a "balance" in its relations with Washington and Tehran, he told an energy conference in Baghdad, explaining that this policy was in Iraq's interest.

"I'm keeping away from it," he said, referring to the tension between Iran and the United States.

Abadi also expressed hope that the deal to restrain Iran's nuclear program would be maintained by Washington.

A week ago, US President Donald Trump said the Iranian people were burdened by "rulers who serve themselves instead of serving the people." Trump, who has threatened to pull Washington out of a multilateral deal with Tehran to curb its nuclear program, called the Revolutionary Guard "a hostile army that brutalizes and steals from the Iranian people to fund terrorism abroad."

Trump said in the statement the Guard had spent more than $16 billion to prop up Syria's government and support militants and terrorists in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. He also accused the group of impoverishing Iran's people, damaging its environment and suppressing civil rights. The harsh language contrasted with Trump's Nowruz statement last year, which made no mention of politics.

In January, Trump delivered an ultimatum to the European signatories of the 2015 nuclear accord, which aimed to curb Iran's nuclear program in return for lifting various trade and economic sanctions. The Republican president said they must agree to "fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal," which was agreed to under his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, or he would refuse to extend U.S. sanctions relief on Iran. US sanctions will resume unless Trump issues new "waivers" to suspend them on May 12.

Iran has said that if Washington pulls out of the deal, it will no longer abide by its terms. In a bid to persuade Washington to remain in the nuclear accord, France urged the European Union on Monday to consider new sanctions on Iran over its involvement in Syria's civil war and its ballistic missile program. Nowruz is Iran's most important national event and is celebrated with family gatherings, vacations and gift-giving. It is also celebrated by millions around the world, including in Turkey, Iraq and parts of South and Central Asia.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement