Iraqi Prime Minister Says His Government Will Not "Play the Role of Postman" Between Iran and the US

In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, the Iraqi Prime Minister says his country still needs American help and cooperation; he also said that Baghdad "does not play the role of postman" when it comes to conveying messages between Iranian and American officials.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who recently met with leaders of the Islamic Republic, will soon travel to the United States to hold talks with officials from that country.

In this interview, Mr. Kazemi emphasized that, although not directly in the military field, Baghdad needs American cooperation to counter the threats posed by the so-called Islamic State group.

The Iraqi Prime Minister says that cooperation can have different levels and fields, depending on the situation.

He stated that he is committed to providing solutions for reforms in security institutions.

Iraq is one of the regions where tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated sharply.

Last January, on the orders of President Donald Trump, the US military targeted and killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, and a number of their companions.

Various reports have been published about the Trump administration's reasons for killing Qassem Soleimani, including a recent report by CNN that linked one of the reasons to Tehran's support for Taliban fighters.

The UN human rights rapporteur described the killing of Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad airport by the US in a July 6 report as "unlawful." In response, the US State Department called the UN report "a whitewashing of Qassem Soleimani's shameful past."

The killing of Qassem Soleimani set off a chain of events, including missile attacks on two bases housing American troops in Iraq, which killed no one. On the same day, the Revolutionary Guards' air defenses shot down a passenger plane in Tehran, killing all on board.

Mr. Kazemi became prime minister in May amid these tensions and internal crises in Iraq. Asked by the Associated Press whether he had a message for the United States from his recent visit to Tehran, he replied, "We are not playing the role of postman in Iraq."

Mr. Kazemi's government faces many challenges, including ending the activities of separate Shiite militia groups, disarming them, and unifying the army. This has also led to tensions with some militias supported by the Islamic Republic.

Militant groups are still carrying out attacks on government bases and sites, as well as Baghdad's Green Zone, which is home to the US embassy and other countries.

Of course, these are only some of the challenges facing the Baghdad government; protests continue in the country, the economic crisis seems deep and looming, COVID-19 has spread widely, and widespread corruption has cast a shadow over institutions and mechanisms.

According to reports, Mustafa Kazemi is scheduled to travel to Washington on August 20 to meet with Donald Trump.

Source: Radio Farda