Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has reassured Iran that his country remains committed to its security agreement with the Islamic Republic regarding the expulsion of anti-Iran terrorist groups from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
Hussein made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg in the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad on Tuesday.
“We have taken the necessary measures to purge armed groups from areas along the border between Iraq and Iran. And for that purpose, I will travel to Tehran tomorrow to hold talks on the matter with Iranian authorities,” the top Iraqi diplomat announced.
He added, “Our constitution does not allow the Iraqi soil to be used as a launching pad for attacks on neighboring countries. At the same time, we do not accept the national sovereignty of Iraq to be undermined.”
The Iraqi foreign minister also described Baghdad’s relations with Tehran as strong and deep-rooted, emphasizing that such ties denounce the use of violence to settle differences.
“Iraq will not allow its territory to be used by some groups to attack Iran,” Hussein stated.
The comments came a day after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani said the ultimatum given to Iraq to disarm anti-Iran separatist groups based in Kurdistan regime will not be extended.
“Iran’s stance is completely clear. According to the agreement reached with the Iraqi government, the final deadline for the disarmament of the terrorist and separatist forces in Iraq’s Kurdistan region ends on September 19 and that deadline will not be extended in any way,” Kan’ani said in a weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday.
He noted that the Iraqi government has taken measures in this regard and has stressed that it will honor its commitments.
Also on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned that the presence of terrorists in the Iraqi Kurdistan region runs counter to the friendly ties between the two nations and contravenes the Constitution of Iraq.
