Iraq and UK Foreign Leaders Talk Regional Conflict and Security Challenges
While emphasizing that the UK does not plan to engage directly in the conflict, Cooper highlighted London’s commitment to stand by allies and friends and to protect British citizens and nationals in the region
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, held a phone call on Monday with Yvette Cooper, the UK Foreign Secretary, to discuss the ongoing regional war and its repercussions for Iraq and neighboring countries.
During the call, Cooper reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s support and solidarity with the Iraqi people amid attacks targeting Iraqi territory. While emphasizing that the UK does not plan to engage directly in the conflict, she highlighted London’s commitment to stand by allies and friends and to protect British citizens and nationals in the region.
Cooper also noted Britain’s long-standing partnerships with Iraq and other countries in the region and expressed her intent to maintain and strengthen these relationships, stressing the importance of ensuring security and stability within Iraq, particularly in areas affected by ongoing internal attacks.
For his part, Fuad Hussein expressed gratitude for the UK’s solidarity and stressed the urgent need to halt all attacks on Iraqi soil, whether external or internal. He warned that the continuation of the war no longer serves clear objectives and is contributing to broader destabilization, as the conflict has expanded beyond its original theaters.
“The continuation of the war is generating multiple crises—security, social, and political—and is worsening the energy crisis, driving up global energy prices, including in the UK,” Fuad Hussein said.
He also cautioned that Iraq could face significant challenges exporting oil through the Gulf due to military operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iraqi minister emphasized that the immediate priority should be finding mechanisms to end the war, calling for a ceasefire as the first step toward restoring regional stability.
He underscored the importance of ongoing coordination with the UK government to follow up on joint policies and thanked Cooper for the constructive discussion.
The conversation between Iraq and the UK comes amid escalating conflict across the region, which has intensified threats to security, economic stability, and energy supply routes, highlighting the need for international cooperation to address the multi-layered crises affecting the Middle East and the world.