Iraq’s Abadi rejects invitation from Bahrain to join Qatar boycott

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq will not give in to pressure from Bahrain to join the Saudi-led diplomatic embargo against Qatar, an Iraqi official said on Monday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reportedly turned down an invitation from Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa to boycott Qatar when the two met in Baghdad on Sunday.

In early June, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and other nations severed diplomatic and economic ties with Doha who was accused of supporting terrorist groups in the region.

However, Doha vehemently denied the allegations, labeling the embargo “unjustified” and with “no basis in fact.”

The Iraqi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Abadi and Khalifa discussed “the Gulf crisis and the allegations of Qatar’s support for terrorism.”

“The hour-and-half-long meeting between Abadi and [Khalifa] in Baghdad’s green zone touched on several issues,” the source stated.

“Abadi expressed his desire to see a quick end to the crisis but directly told the minister he was against joining any side of the conflict,” the official added.

Speaking at a news conference in Baghdad in June, the Iraqi Prime Minister reassured the assembly that Iraq would not get involved in the diplomatic isolation of Qatar.

“We are not part of these differences; we are keeping good relations with all the countries,” he said.

However, later that month, Abadi would visit Saudi Arabia where he met King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to “heal troubled relations between the Arab neighbors.”

Editing by Ava Homa