Mohammed Al-Halboussi : Iraq does not accept the presence of any foreign forces
The speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Mohammed Al-Halboussi, on Saturday evening called on representatives of diplomatic missions not to interfere in Iraq’s affairs, following the debate between the Iranian and Turkish ambassadors regarding the foreign presence in Iraq.
Al-Halboussi tweeted: “Representatives of diplomatic missions in Iraq have the duty to represent their countries and to promote cooperation between the two countries. Some representatives of those missions must be well aware of their duties, not interfere in what does not concern them, and respect Iraq’s sovereignty in order to be treated in kind.”
Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Eraj Massajdi, said his country does not accept the presence of any foreign forces in Iraq or military intervention there. He called on Turkish forces to withdraw and not pose any threats to Iraqi territories. The Turkish ambassador to Iraq, Fatih Yildiz, responded to a statement from Massajdi. He said : “I think that the Iranian ambassador is the last person who could give Turkey a lesson in respecting the borders of Iraq.” The Kurdish Rudaw network quoted on Saturday the Iranian ambassador as saying in an interview with it that “Iran does not accept the presence of foreign forces in Iraq or outside Iraq, and we reject military intervention in Iraq. Turkish forces must not in any way be a threat to Iraqi territories or occupy them.”
He added : “Iraqi forces must provide security themselves,” he said, calling on Turks to withdraw to their international borders. The Iranian Ambassador, for example, cited the Iraqi area of Sinjar, saying that it was a matter that had nothing to do with Turkey and an internal Iraqi issue. “This has nothing to do with Turkey and it is not their right to threaten or issue decisions in this context,” he added. Therefore, we reject any kind of threat, whether from Turkey or any other party.”
The Iranian ambassador described relations with Iraq as good, especially after Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi visited Tehran last year. “There is cooperation between the two countries and relations with Al-Kazemi and his government are very positive and constructive,” he said. Massajdi announced that Iran wants “to establish security completely in Iraq.” When asked about the missile attacks targeting the American Embassy in Baghdad, he added that he does not support any kind of attacks or attacks on the diplomatic centers of any country inside Iraq.
