US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has promised Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein that the US would work for the sake of strengthening Iraq’s economic “integration” in the region.
He stressed that Iraq can and should be strongly energy independent, hinting at Iran.
The Iraqi official arrived in Washington leading a senior government delegation of prominent financial and banking figures.
“We have worked together for many years – too many years,” Blinken said as he welcomed Hussein at the State Department in Washington.
“But this is an important moment, an important meeting," he added.
"We have a Strategic Framework Agreement with Iraq, but we are now focused very intensely on the economic dimension of that agreement and the work that we can do together, the United States and Iraq, to continue to strengthen Iraq’s economy, its integration, reintegration in the region, in ways that make a material difference in the lives of the Iraqi people and Iraqi citizens,” he added.
Blinken stressed that the primary focus will be on energy and on electricity.
“Iraq can and should be strongly energy independent, and this is something that I think the United States and others can continue to support Iraq as it moves in that direction.”
He continued, “President Biden had a very good conversation with Prime Minister Sudani just a few days ago, and we look very much forward with the prime minister to strengthening the strategic partnership that unites Iraq and the United States.”
For his part, the Iraqi minister thanked the US for its support in the fight against ISIS.
“We worked together, we fought together, we defeated the so-called ISIS together, and we will continue working together on the basis of building and rebuilding our economy. And with your support, with the American companies’ support – we are in need of your support in various fields, and we will continue our cooperation,” he stated.
The spokesperson of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry mentioned that in addition to Blinken, “the delegation will hold discussions in Washington with senior officials. The discussions will focus on supporting Iraq’s monetary policy and exchanging financial and banking experiences to enhance the Iraqi government’s measures related to the exchange rate of the US dollar.”
The meetings would also include Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and the Federal Reserve to discuss the current value of the Iraqi currency upon news circulating about the smuggling of American currency to Iran and Syria.
