Hakim: Iraq can mediate between Iran, Arab states

Tehran, Jan 16, IRNA - Seyyed Mohsen Hakim, a senior official of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), believes Baghdad, which has very close ties with Iran, can play a mediatory role between the Islamic Republic and Arab regional states. Hakim, who is also political advisor to Seyyed Ammar Hakim, the head of ISCI, made the remarks in an interview with 'Iran Diplomacy' website, adding that Iran is playing a key role in fighting ISIL terrorists in Iraq. In reply to a question by Iran Diplomacy on the impacts of reopening the Saudi Embassy on Iraq, Hakim said that one of the policies of Haider al-Abadi is establishing excellent relations with other countries of the region, especially the neighbors of Iraq and the Iraqi Parliament ratified this policy. Peaceful coexistence, good neighborly relations, non-interference in domestic affaires of other states and mutual respect are among the main principles of the Abadi administration. In this regard, relations between Iraq and its neighbors, which are being built anew, have been boosted to appropriate levels. Iraqi officials, including President Fuad Masum, Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri and Foreign Minister Ebrahim al-Jafari have separately visited Saudi Arabia to prepare the ground for joint cooperation. One of the factors of boosting cooperation is the reopening of Saudi Embassy in Baghdad, which is underway. On whether better ties between Iraq-Arab states can be witnessed after the reopening of Saudi Embassy, Hakim said that since the Abadi administration took office some five months ago, most of the important Arab states sent their representatives to Iraq or Iraqi officials have gone there. Therefore, a new chapter in relations between Iraq and Arab countries has opened. On his opinion on how Iraq can play a mediatory role between Iran-Saudi Arabia or Iran-Egypt, Hakim noted that on the basis of international relations, countries that have close relations with their neighbors can be active in this field. Undoubtedly, once ties between countries reach a suitable level, these states can play a mediatory role. Hence, given the Arab dimension of Iraq and its cordial relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, it can play a mediatory role and facilitate ties between Iran and Arab states in the face of challenges. Iraq could act like a bridge. Therefore, it is necessary for Iraq and other states to cooperate and review their relations on the basis of common regional interests. The review should be made away from the interference and hegemony of trans-regional states. Replying on how could cooperation between Iran-Iraq, in the fight against ISIL terrorist group by sustained, Hakim said that the important and increasing role of Iran in giving advisory and military aid to Iraq since the fall of Mosul (in June 2014) until now is clear to everyone. This is an important role that has been performed [by Iran]. We are witnessing the improvement of security condition in Iraq, in which one of the main part of it is the advisory role [of Iran] and also assistance of the Islamic Republic, which are legal and within the framework of cooperation between Iran-Iraq. On whether reports claiming that Iran and the US cooperated in Iraq against ISIL is true, he said that as far as he knows, there has not been any cooperation between Iran-US [in fighting the ISIL terrorists] in Iraq. He added 'I don’t know if they had cooperated in other places or not.' On the issue of plunging oil prices and whether Iraq has a plan for cooperating with Iran to boost prices, Hakim said, given the impact of plummeting oil prices on the annual budgets of Iraq and Iran, the two oil-rich states are expected to increase their cooperation [for increasing price]. Of course, there is cooperation. We witnessed that Iraq’s Oil Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi al-Muntafiki visited Tehran to hold important talks with senior Iranian officials. Given the important and effective role of Iran, Iraq and other oil-rich states in the market, they can play an important role in bringing about any change in oil prices. (The above interview was carried by the English-language paper 'Iran Daily' published Thursday.)