Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Stresses the Major Shifts in Regional Balance of Power to Media Outlets

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mr. Fuad Hussein met with several international media representatives, including TRT Arabic, Russia Today (RT Arabic), and CNN Türk, on the sidelines of his participation in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The Minister addressed key international and regional issues, in addition to reviewing Iraq’s foreign policy positions towards them.

The Minister pointed to the significant shifts in the balance of power in the region across multiple tracks, on both military and security, and at the international level and their impact on geopolitical situations.

And on the Syrian crisis, the Minister emphasized that Syria’s stability is a crucial factor for the stability of the entire region, noting that “foreign interventions, particularly repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, complicate the situation and increase tensions.” As to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, Minister Hussein expressed his strong condemnation of the ongoing Israeli attacks, describing them as “clear violations of international law,” and affirming Iraq’s support for the rights of the Palestinian people.

Additionally, Minister Fuad Hussein touched on the situation in Lebanon and called for “strengthening internal dialogue between the various Lebanese parties,” and stressed the need to “resolve regional crises through dialogue, not through military escalation”. 

In relation to the Iraqi-Turkish relations, the Minister indicated the development of bilateral relations with Turkey, particularly in the security and economic areas and stated  “We are working to strengthen cooperation to confront common challenges, including combating terrorism and regulating border movement”, adding “Ankara is an important partner in the efforts of achieving regional stabilization”. 

With regard to the Iranian-American negotiations, Minister Hussein welcomed the resumption of negotiations between Iran and the United States, stating “We hope that the dialogues will continue, leading to a preliminary agreement that removes the specter of war, because the alternative would be disastrous for the region and the world.” The Minister affirmed that “both the Iranian and American sides have expressed a willingness to continue negotiations, and we consider this a positive step.”

The Minister underlined the importance of “cooperation between neighboring countries in the fight against terrorism,” warning that “chaos and instability pave the way for the spread of extremist organizations, as happened with Da’esh in Syria.” He indicated “the need to establish a high-level joint working mechanism to prevent any future terrorist threat.”

At the end his remarks, the Minister emphasized that “Iraq plays a pivotal role in extinguishing hotbeds of tension in the region through a balanced foreign policy based on the principles of dialogue and mutual understanding.”