Harris assures Barzani: There is no place for Iranian-backed terrorist militias in the Iraqi government.
On Tuesday, the acting US ambassador to Iraq, Joshua Harris, praised the role of Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in supporting the Iraqi political process and calming tensions in Syria, while stressing that there is “no place” for what he called “Iranian-backed terrorist militias” in the next Iraqi government.
A statement from Barzani’s headquarters, received by Shafaq News Agency, said that “Masoud Barzani received at the Salah al-Din resort (Pir Mam), a delegation from the US Embassy in Iraq headed by Joshua Harris, the US Chargé d’Affaires in Iraq.”
The statement noted that during the meeting, which was attended by Gwendolyn Green, the US Consul General in Erbil, the US Chargé d’Affaires briefed the US Embassy on the political process in Iraq following the parliamentary elections, relations between Iraqi political parties, and efforts to form a unified federal government in Iraq.
He noted that the acting US ambassador also highlighted the situation in the region and the complexities in Syria, praising President Barzani’s continued efforts to support the Iraqi political process and calm tensions in Syria.
For his part, Barzani assured the visiting delegation that he would spare no effort in coordinating between the political parties to reach satisfactory results and form a strong federal government. He also said he would continue his efforts to resolve all problems and obstacles between the political parties on the one hand, and to address outstanding issues between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government on the other.
Regarding the situation in Syria and the challenges facing the region in general, Barzani stressed that he is making serious efforts to resolve all problems peacefully through dialogue and understanding, and away from violence.
The statement concluded by saying that the meeting addressed another topic concerning relations between the Kurdistan Region and the United States, and efforts to strengthen and develop these relations.
For its part, the US Embassy in Baghdad said that Chargé d’Affaires Joshua Harris met with Masoud Barzani and discussed a number of political, security and economic issues.
The embassy said in a statement that the meeting addressed the importance of protecting Iraqi sovereignty, enhancing regional security, and strengthening mutually beneficial economic relations.
Harris reiterated, according to the statement, that “Iranian-backed terrorist militias, which ignore Iraq’s calls for disarmament, have no place in the Iraqi government in any capacity.”
The US chargé d’affaires stressed that the United States will continue to emphasize clearly and consistently the need for Iraq to act urgently to dismantle the terrorist militias that seek to achieve a foreign agenda that undermines Iraq’s sovereignty, impoverishes it, threatens Americans and Iraqis, and drags the country into a regional conflict.
Shafaq.com