Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Fuad Hussein warned on Sunday that the risk of the regional conflict expanding remains high because Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon is ongoing.
The persistence of the situation means other wars could erupt in the region, which could threaten regional and international peace, he told Asharq Al-Awsat from Riyadh ahead of the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit on Monday.
“When the war on Gaza started and stretched on, we warned that its continuation will lead to another conflict. Indeed, the war on Gaza led to the war on Lebanon, and now, the continuation of these wars, will lead to others,” he stated.
For its part, Baghdad takes any threat to Iraq seriously, he stressed, noting that the conflict is obviously a clash between Iran and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Iraq’s location puts it within the radius of this conflict and the more attacks and counterattacks between Iran and Israel risk dragging Iraq into the war, said the FM.
The Iraqi government has prioritized protecting the country from any attack and keeping it out of the war, Hussein added. Iraq is in contact with various countries to that end.
Furthermore, he said contacts were ongoing with Iran over the conflict.
“Iran was very clear when it was confronted with claims that it was trying to exploit Iraqi territories to attack Israel. It categorically rejected the allegations and said Iraqi territory was not used for any attack,” Hussein revealed, adding that this message was conveyed by Tehran to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
Iran has vowed that Iraqi territory will not be used to attack Israel, he remarked.
A ministerial meeting was held on Sunday ahead of the extraordinary summit. Hussein said officials expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people.
They condemned the ongoing Israeli war against them, adding that Monday’s summit will address several issues, including continuing support to the Palestinian and Lebanese people and searching for options to end the war.
The FM underscored the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the recognition of their own independent state and its full membership at the United Nations.
Hussein stressed that the summit is necessary given the dangers the region is experiencing, thanking Saudi Arabia for hosting it.
Iraq, along with several Arab and Islamic countries, has focused on contacting various other countries, especially those with strong ties with Netanyahu to pressure him to agree to a ceasefire.
Iraqi and other efforts have not yielded the desired results, so the summit is very important in addressing the situation and how to handle developments, he went on to say.
Moreover, he added that Baghdad is working tirelessly to prepare for the Arab League summit in May.
