Iraq premier embarks regional tour amid turmoil
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani is set to embark on a regional tour on Monday, starting with Iran, amid ongoing turmoil in the Middle East as the Israel-Hamas war intensifies.
The Iraqi premier’s first stop is in the Iranian capital Tehran before heading to the Gulf countries, with which Iraq has warmed up ties in recent years, Iraqi News Agency, the state media, reported.
The “developments in Gaza” will be discussed during the visit, per the press release.
Iraq has strongly condemned the Israeli bombardments of Gaza since the fight broke out on Oct. 7, sparked by Hamas’ bloody and surprise incursion into the Jewish state more than three weeks ago, killing at least 1,400 people and taking more than 200 hostages.
In about the past four weeks, regional leaders and Western countries have reportedly been working to contain the violence in Gaza, preventing the spillover of the decades-long conflict.
Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen have launched aerial attacks against Israel and its staunch ally the United States in recent weeks, threatening the expansion of the fight.
Amid fears that Iraq might be dragged into the conflict, Al-Sudani on Saturday said Baghdad independently decides in this regard.
“The [Iraqi] State is responsible for making major decisions in accordance with the constitution and based on the highest interest of the Iraqis,” he said at the 7th Conference of Diplomats in the Iraqi capital.
Israeli forces began their ground operations in the Gaza Strip in late October in a bid to “destroy Hamas military infrastructure”, which it alleges has been deeply entrenched in the densely populated enclave.
The Jewish state has faced strong backlash from regional countries and international organizations over the massive civilian causalities that had resulted in the intense bombardments. More than 9,000 people have been killed since Oct. 7, according to figures compiled by Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.