Iraq News

Iraq must not be dragged into another regional war: president

Iraqi President Barham Saleh said Wednesday (June 26th) his country must not be dragged into another conflict in the Middle East, as tensions rise over its neighbour Iran, AFP reported.

"We have had four decades of challenge and turmoil. We do not want to be embroiled in another war," he said at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs think-tank in London. "We cannot afford our country to be dragged into conflict."

With tensions high between Iran and the US, Saleh insisted his country would not become "a staging post for belligerents".

"We are asking everybody to cool it down... enough is enough," he said.

"We do not want to be a victim of a conflict in Middle East. We have not finished the last one," the Iraqi president added, referring to the battle against the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS).

"It is in our national interests to have good relationship with Iran," he said, while adding: "The US is a very important partner for Iraq."

Saleh, who took office in October, said Baghdad's priority was "stability".

"We need to transform Iraq from a zone of regional and proxy conflict into a zone of trade, infrastructure development, and jobs and a future for young people," he said.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he hopes the US does not go to war with Iran but if it did, its use of force would be overwhelming.

In an interview on Fox Business News, Trump was asked if the US is going to go to war with Iran.

"Well, I hope we don't but we're in a very strong position if something should happen. We're in a very strong position. It wouldn't last very long, I can tell you that. And I'm not talking boots on the ground," Trump said.

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