Al-Sudani: There are no combat forces in Iraq to withdraw.. The Iraqi Prime Minister confirmed in Wa

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[size=52]Al-Sudani: There are no combat forces in Iraq to withdraw.. The Iraqi Prime Minister confirmed in Washington his refusal to “throw our country into the arena of conflict between Iran and Israel.”[/size]

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Washington: Heba Al-Qudsi
April 17, 2024 AD - Shawwal 8, 1445 AH
Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani confirmed that “the international coalition to fight ISIS, which consists of 86 countries, no longer has justification after Iraq was able to defeat the organization, which no longer has a single meter of Iraq".[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sudani’s words came in a meeting with newspaper and satellite channel correspondents held on Tuesday night in Washington, where he met with US President Joe Biden and a number of officials. In response to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat regarding the controversy surrounding the presence of American combat forces in Iraq, and whether his discussions with the American administration included a clear schedule for withdrawal, Al-Sudani said: “There are no combat forces in Iraq to withdraw,” indicating that “the American forces It withdrew from Iraq, leaving only an advisory presence, and the military technical committees between the two sides are discussing mechanisms for ending the international coalition’s mission in Iraq and moving to a bilateral relationship between Iraq and the coalition countries, especially the United States of America.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sudani said, “Iraq in 2024 is different from Iraq in 2014, when the coalition forces began working,” stressing that “the issue of ending the coalition’s work is an Iraqi demand, part of the government program voted on by the House of Representatives, and the subject of discussion between the Iraqi government and the United States since August.” (2023). He added: “We put the slogan (Iraq first) during our conversations with American officials, and ISIS today does not represent a threat to the Iraqi state.”[/size]
[size=45]Timeline:
Journalists’ questions were repeated about the timetable for the exit of American forces and the international coalition forces to combat ISIS from Iraq, the impact of the current tensions and escalation between Iran and Israel on these plans, and the seriousness of fears that Iran will exploit the exit of American forces and seek to increase its influence in Iraq, and increase the influence of loyalist militias. It is inside Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]In his answer, Al-Sudani was keen to stress that “ending the coalition’s mission is being discussed extensively within the military committee, which is conducting a dialogue that carries three basic headings: the first is assessing the threat of ISIS, the second is assessing the surrounding circumstances and environment, and the third is assessing the operational capabilities of the Iraqi forces in light of These evaluations will evaluate the timetable for ending the coalition’s work and moving to bilateral relations with the United States and the coalition countries.”[/size]
[size=45]He stressed that the escalation between Iran and Israel affects the stability of Iraq and the region, and said: “We will use our legal and diplomatic rights to protect our lands from any aggression, and Iraq is not an open country to everyone.”[/size]
[size=45]In his response to the armed attacks carried out by the Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq on foreign headquarters and facilities, Al-Sudani said that he rejects any armed attacks in the areas where the advisors are present, and does not allow any armed group to tamper with security and stability.[/size]
[size=45]Iran and Iraq
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Missiles are mounted on a truck as an Iranian military band leader leads the band during the Army Day parade at a military base north of Tehran - Iran, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. In the parade, President Ebrahim Raisi warned that a “smaller invasion” by Israel would lead to a “reaction.” “Huge and cruel”… as the region prepares for possible Israeli retaliation after the Iranian attack at the weekend (AP).
The Iraqi Prime Minister denied that his country had received reports or indications from Iran about launching missiles and drones in the attack on Israel, especially since the Iranian attack had penetrated airspace. The Iraqi is on his way to Israel. He rejected Iraq's involvement in the current escalation between Israel and Iran.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sudani explained that his country condemned the incident of bombing the Iranian consulate in Damascus because it was an act inconsistent with legal norms, and came within the framework of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies to expand the arena of conflict and his strategy aimed at igniting the region after its failure in the war in Gaza. He said: “Iraq has made an effort not to The Iranian response and missing the opportunity to expand the arena of conflict, and we were keen to keep Iraq away from involvement in this escalation. Our position was clear, and we will not allow Iraq to be a party to the arena of conflict.”[/size]
[size=45]Palestine is the root problem.
Al-Sudani stressed that the root problem of the current escalation is the Palestinian issue, which has not been resolved, and the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the deliberate targeting of civilians outside the scope of international humanitarian law have not been stopped, and the genocide that is taking place in full view of the international community. This led to escalation and dangers in the Red Sea to international navigation, skirmishes in southern Lebanon and Syria, and now this direct escalation between Iran and Israel. He said: “Our position is the necessity of stopping the war in Gaza and delivering aid, and any other talk about secondary issues is an escape from the main issue, which is The Palestinian cause".
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US President Joe Biden shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani at the beginning of a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday, April 15, 2024 (dpa).
He added: “The casualties of women and children are unacceptable, and once this war stops, the region will witness its relief.” “For stability, ignoring the solution to the Palestinian problem means more repercussions and an expansion of the arena of conflict.”[/size]
[size=45]In a question about Iraq obtaining American promises to lift US Treasury sanctions against Iraqi banks involved in money laundering operations on behalf of Iran, Al-Sudani said that the sanctions imposed are a denial of trading in the dollar, and stressed that the current government has worked to implement financial and banking reform processes during the last period, It has achieved progress, with the testimony of the US Treasury Department, in controlling more than 80 percent of the financial transactions conducted by Iraqi banks in accordance with international standards, which is an essential factor in supporting the Central Bank of Iraq in its monetary policies.[/size]
[size=45]Iranian Gas
: The Iraqi Prime Minister announced that his country has begun promising projects and a clear timetable in investing in liquefied gas and natural gas through contracts with companies operating in the Kurdistan region. With the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in gas within a period of three to five years and discussing new oil and gas projects with American companies in Houston and Michigan.[/size]
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