Iraq's Kadhimi Calls for a 3rd Round of Talks

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustapha Kadhimi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Prime Minister's Office)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustapha Kadhimi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Prime Minister's Office)
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Iraq's Kadhimi Calls for a 3rd Round of Talks

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustapha Kadhimi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Prime Minister's Office)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustapha Kadhimi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Prime Minister's Office)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi emphasized that the region's stability relies on Iraq's stability, calling for the third round of national dialogue to resolve his country's political crisis.

He asserted that Iraq's problems would not be solved without dialogue and that political factions have an opportunity to rebuild the country.

"The government of Iraq is working to build the state to maintain its structure based on coexistence among all the Iraqi people," he declared in his UN speech.

"Iraq is keen to be a source of stability regionally and internationally," he said in an interview with the official Iraqi channel at his headquarters in New York, where he is participating in the UN General Assembly.

Kadhimi revealed that Iraq had been involved in five discreet mediation efforts in the region, including the talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and it succeeded in bringing the views together between the two nations.

The Prime Minister continued: "We will contribute to everything to help stabilize the region," revealing that authorities had arrested a person who confessed to killing protesters last month.

"Last week, we arrested a person, who belongs to one of the state institutions, who confessed to killing protesters and some personalities," Kadhimi said.

He also stressed "The need for state, legislative, judicial and security institutions to cooperate to end uncontrolled weapons."

He accused some parties of wanting the government to fail because of personal disagreements between politicians, calling on all parties that have issues with him to resolve them away from the interests of the people.

Iraq's cash reserve reached $86 billion, expected to increase to $100 billion, said the PM, noting that the country has the most significant and fastest economic growth and is the first in the Middle East and fifth in the world.

"The white paper succeeded in achieving economic reform," he asserted.

Earlier, Kadhimi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who praised the Prime Minister's role in maintaining civil peace.

During the meeting, they discussed the situation in Iraq and the government's efforts to mitigate political differences by adopting the national dialogue initiative between political forces.

Guterres affirmed his support for Kadhimi's initiative in the national dialogue between the political forces, reiterating his rejection of the attacks that violate Iraq's sovereignty and interference in its internal affairs.

Kadhimi thanked the United Nations mission in helping help Iraq hold transparent and fair elections, applauding the role of the United Nations and its development programs to enhance local capacities and rehabilitate those affected by terrorism and its projects of environment and sustainable development.

The meeting also addressed the situation in Iraq and the government's efforts to mitigate political differences by adopting the national dialogue initiative between political forces.

The discussion touched on the situation in displacement camps and the government's efforts to close most of them and return the IDPs to their areas of origin.



Türkiye Says Israeli Raid on Gaza Aid Boat Violated International Law

A tug vessel puts out a fire on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessel Conscience off Malta on May 2, 2025. Malta Government Department of Information via Reuters
A tug vessel puts out a fire on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessel Conscience off Malta on May 2, 2025. Malta Government Department of Information via Reuters
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Türkiye Says Israeli Raid on Gaza Aid Boat Violated International Law

A tug vessel puts out a fire on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessel Conscience off Malta on May 2, 2025. Malta Government Department of Information via Reuters
A tug vessel puts out a fire on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessel Conscience off Malta on May 2, 2025. Malta Government Department of Information via Reuters

Türkiye on Monday condemned Israel's seizure of a Gaza-bound aid vessel which it said was carrying Turkish citizens as well as activist Greta Thunberg among its 12-strong crew, calling the move a "clear violation of international law".

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the intervention threatened maritime security and "once again demonstrates that Israel is acting as a terror state."

Israeli naval forces boarded and seized a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the war-torn Gaza Strip on Monday and the boat with its crew of 12, including activist Greta Thunberg, is now heading to a port in Israel.

The British-flagged yacht, Madleen, which is operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza later on Monday and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.