Foreign Minister: We are in contact with the United States and Iran to ease tensions

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[size=52]Foreign Minister: We are in contact with the United States and Iran to ease tensions[/size]

[size=45]Translated by: Hamed Ahmed[/size]
[size=45]In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor news site from Washington, translated by Al-Mada, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said, “It is no secret that I am in contact with Iranian and American officials, as both sides trust us, and this is a good thing.[/size]
[size=45]It is in Iraq's interest that there be no tension between Washington and Tehran." Hussein is in Washington at the head of an Iraqi delegation to the United States that includes the acting governor of the Central Bank, Ali Al-Alaq, in the first meeting of its kind for the Higher Coordination Committee of the Joint Strategic Framework Agreement between the United States and Iraq, which will focus on the economic aspect. It is not surprising that Iran is included in the agenda.[/size]
[size=45]The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, had telephoned his Iraqi counterpart on Friday, before the meeting of the Iraqi Foreign Minister the next day in Washington with the US Special Envoy for Iran, Robert Malley.[/size]
[size=45]In their meeting, Hussein discussed with the American envoy Mali about the call made by Amir Abdullahian and the stalled talks regarding the Iranian nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.[/size]
[size=45]Foreign Minister Hussein said, “I will continue these contacts. The United States is an important ally, and Iran is an important neighbor with which we have many common issues, including borders, religion, culture, and economic and commercial interests. I hope that the two parties will resume talks between them again, but the decision is up to them.”[/size]
[size=45]Hussein also discussed with US officials the complexities Iraq faces in dealing with US and Western sanctions against Iran and Russia.[/size]
[size=45]He had met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Baghdad last week before leaving for Washington.[/size]
[size=45]Lavrov asked Hussein to find a solution to the issue of sanctions so that Russian companies can get their dues. The Russian oil company (Kazprom) and (Lukoil) have investments worth $10 billion in Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi foreign minister confirmed that work is underway to solve these problems, and this will be done in coordination with Washington, explaining that by saying, "American and Western sanctions against Russia and Iran are not a problem for Iraq only."[/size]
[size=45]He added, "The sanctions affect financial transfers with banks and countries all over the world. Iraq expects to pay its debts to Iran and Russia, and this is a must." The fact of the matter is that they have money in Iraq. But we will not take any actions that harm Iraq and Iraqi banks. We have made it clear to Russian and Iranian officials that we need to find an alternative way, in coordination with the Americans.”[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi foreign minister, who previously held the position of finance minister, was optimistic that the visit would be devoted to the economic aspect.[/size]
[size=45]"This is the first visit where the main focus is on economic matters, development and integration," Hussein said.[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi foreign minister had also met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wali Adimo, and many other US officials and company directors.[/size]
[size=45]Hussein said that the discussions that took place during the visit included Iraq's need to reduce gas flaring emissions and diversify sources of electric energy.[/size]
[size=45]He added, “There is a lot of understanding here in Washington about the need for investment in the field of collecting and manufacturing associated gas and not burning it, and not only in terms of climate and health benefits in controlling these emissions. There are strategic dimensions as well. Where gas can be another source of income for Iraq. We also need this gas to run our power plants, which we now depend on Iranian gas to operate. We need to be independent in our gas production, and it can be synonymous with our role as a major oil producing country.”[/size]
[size=45]Iraq is also striving to diversify its electric energy sources, which include Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, but progress in this field is slower than what Iraq aspires to.[/size]
[size=45]Hussein told Al-Monitor, “I am unhappy that the electrical connection works have not been implemented for a long time. We signed these agreements with the Gulf almost three years ago. We have agreed on the principle, and our technical experts are still discussing the price.”[/size]
[size=45]It seems that Minister Hussein is optimistic that the Iraqi currency crisis, which cast a shadow over this visit, is on its way to receding, following the recent re-evaluation of the currency by the Central Bank and after its meetings in Washington with treasury officials.[/size]
[size=45]Hussein said, “There is a system currently in place between the Central Bank of Iraq and the US Treasury, but this is something new, and the Iraqi parties have become more familiar with this mechanism. Iraq also benefits from large currency reserves and relatively high oil prices. There are positive results from the recent changes to the central bank's fiscal policy. That is why I believe that this crisis is on its way to gradually receding.”[/size]
[size=45]About: (Al-Monitor) news website[/size]
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