Muhammad al-Sudani, the Prime Minister, has two weeks to address internal situations related to Kurd

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[size=52]Iran is pursuing Sudanese from Baghdad to the White House[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad/ Tamim Al-Hassan[/size]
[size=45]Muhammad al-Sudani, the Prime Minister, has two weeks to address internal situations related to Kurdistan and maintain the “factional truce,” before his expected visit to the White House. Voices from within the United States began to object to the Prime Minister’s visit, due to Iranian hegemony, its relationship with armed groups, and the crisis with Kurdistan.[/size]
[size=45]On the other hand, the calm on the factions’ front regarding the visit seems more like “the calm before the storm.”[/size]
[size=45]The White House announced, a week ago, the date of Sudanese’s visit to Washington to meet Biden, on April 15, and said in a statement that they “will discuss common priorities and strengthen the strong bilateral partnership between the United States and Iraq.”[/size]
[size=45]Meanwhile, eight members of the US Senate and the US Congress called on President Joe Biden to reduce Iranian hegemony and support the Kurds, a prerequisite for Sudanese’s visit to the United States.[/size]
[size=45]Republican Senator Tom Cotton, along with 7 other representatives, sent a letter to Biden asking him to set conditions on Iraq, most notably “not to make further concessions to Iran,” and to intervene “to resume the export of oil from the Iraqi Kurdistan region.”[/size]
[size=45]Baghdad seeks to conclude a “comprehensive partnership” with the United States, according to a government statement.[/size]
[size=45]Regarding the visit, Ghazi Faisal, a former diplomat, said in an interview with (Al-Mada) that “the members of the American Congress who objected to the visit are seeking to put pressure on the American administration to put pressure on Iraq in turn with files related to Iran in the region.”[/size]
[size=45]Faisal points out that American circles are “disturbed by Iranian interference in Iraq, its hegemony over the country, and its interference in sovereign and constitutional issues, as is happening with Kurdistan.”[/size]
[size=45]The former diplomat said, “Iran is trying to dismantle the federal system in Iraq, undermine the gains of the Kurdish people, and destroy the security and economic successes and stability in Kurdistan.”[/size]
[size=45]Before Al-Sudani's visit, the region's crisis escalated significantly with the Federal Court's decision and the Kurdistan Democratic Party's hints to boycott the political process.[/size]
[size=45]Senator Tom Cotton said in the letter to Biden, “Iraq is still under the influence of Iran, which receives about $3 billion annually for militias supported by Tehran, including 4 factions that the United States classifies as terrorist.”[/size]
[size=45]The letter recalled “the attacks launched by these militias against American forces and the Kurdistan region, which amounted to more than 180 attacks since October 7, 2023, and resulted in the death of 3 American soldiers and the injury of more than 100 others.”[/size]
[size=45]Republican lawmakers said, “Despite this, the Biden administration continues to grant Iraq exemptions from sanctions on Tehran to import Iranian electricity and natural gas, as well as to use US dollars transferred to Iraq from the Federal Reserve.” The representatives said that they “require, before the visit takes place, that the Biden administration focus on reducing Iranian influence in Iraq and mobilizing support for partners in Kurdistan,” and stressed “asking the Iraqi Prime Minister to reopen the pipeline between Iraq and Turkey so that the Kurdistan region can export oil, in a way that prevents American public and private funding may be threatened by Tehran’s influence in Baghdad.”[/size]
[size=45]At the conclusion of the letter, the representatives demanded, “Not to allow further transfers in US dollars to Iraq, until the Treasury Department confirms that such transfers do not benefit the Iranian regime or its agents.” Economic experts announce the existence of a currency crisis in the country that may be related to dollar payments. Coming from the US Federal Reserve, which the government denies.[/size]
[size=45]On Sunday, government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi said that Sudanese’s visit to Washington “will be very important, as he will raise the issue of the American withdrawal, as well as the dollar crisis and the solution of sanctions against Iraqi banks.”[/size]
[size=45]The position of the factions[/size]
[size=45]American statements about the presence of ISIS, prior to the date of the visit, were considered provocative to the armed groups because they might undermine the main goal of the visit, which is “removing the American forces,” but they (the factions) preferred to remain silent.[/size]
[size=45]So far, only one ineffective faction has made side statements about the group's plans if the government's attempts to remove American forces fail.[/size]
[size=45]The other factions, calling themselves the “Iraqi Islamic Resistance,” remained silent and did not issue a statement, as happened every time.[/size]
[size=45]Muhammad Al-Tamimi, Secretary-General of the “Sadiq Al-Wad Legion,” which claims to be part of the so-called “Islamic Resistance,” warned that he would send the Americans with “coffins” to their country if they did not withdraw.[/size]
[size=45]The so-called “Iraqi resistance” includes an alliance of several factions, which was clearly active days after the Gaza war last year.[/size]
[size=45]A few days ago, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein questioned the statements issued by the so-called “resistance” in which it announces from time to time launching attacks targeting areas inside Israel.[/size]
[size=45]Hussein said in an interview with Voice of America radio: “I read the statements issued, but the other side did not say that they were correct, and I do not know whether these statements are for internal consumption or are they true?”[/size]
[size=45]The factions entered into an “undeclared” truce with the American forces, and no attacks on those forces have been recorded since last February, but they issue statements from time to time about bombing targets in Israel. Hussein added that “the use of weapons inside Iraq requires a decision from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.” No person should make a decision on his own to wage war against this or that party,” stressing that “the war decision is issued exclusively by the Iraqi Council of Representatives, and is not a personal decision.”[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi Foreign Ministry had recently announced that it would continue to partner with the United States on issues related to security and the fight against ISIS.[/size]
[size=45]Ghazi Faisal, director of the Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies, says: “As long as it was agreed to invite Sudanese to Washington, it is certain that the basic files that will be announced have been discussed in detail and are ready for the final touches and signature once the Prime Minister arrives at the White House, where new positions can be announced.” Or protocols will be added to the Strategic Framework Agreement with the United States.”[/size]
[size=45]Faseel adds: “What is important in the positions before the visit is that the war on terrorism continues, as well as the rejection of Iran’s interference in the political and constitutional affairs of Iraq, and the rejection of the spread of armed groups that threaten the security and stability of the country, and they are dangerous tools in the hands of Tehran.”[/size]
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