The crisis in the Middle East is top of the conversation at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting underway this week in Davos, Switzerland, amid further signs of conflict expanding beyond Israel and Gaza.
In an exclusive interview, CNN’s Becky Anderson spoke with Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Davos about the latest news out of the region – particularly reports of Iranian strikes on the Iraqi city of Erbil – as well as his concerns about the crisis in Gaza.
On fears that Iraq may become the stage for an escalating regional conflict:
“It is unfortunate, the tension between Washington and Tehran. Usually, when there is tension between these two countries, the Iraqis are paying the price and the fight is going on on Iraqi soil. And now the tension between the Israelis and Iran – also this is the same.”
On the Iranian attack on Erbil:
“In the first place we condemn, we are condemning these attacks and we consider it an aggression and against international law, a violation of international law. So we took various measures, and we are going also to Security Council in New York. I think there will be a huge support for Iraqi position against Iran.”
On concerns about escalating conflict in the Middle East:
“Let me first mentioned the situation in Gaza. The war against the people in Gaza, it created huge problem not only for the Palestinian people, but also for the entire region. So to stop the war and to increase and open the door for more humanitarian aid for Gaza – that will help. So stopping the war in Gaza and putting more pressure on Netanyahu’s government, that would be the first step to reach a situation with less tension in the region… Without playing good role and having partners in the region and clear policy, that means we are heading towards really huge conflicts in the region and perhaps wars in the region.”
On negotiations to have American troops leave Iraq:
“We are negotiating with the with the [Biden] administration in Washington to start negotiations. So we are negotiating how to start. I think we’ve reached some positive steps and I hope that within a short time we can announce when we will establish this process. Then of course, we can discuss matters related to the American forces or allied forced inside Iraq and when they can move on, how they are going to be treated inside Iraq, and how we can establish bilateral relationship with all these countries.”
“It is up to the Americans, if they will agree about starting negotiations, we are ready to start tomorrow.”
On the Iraq-US relationship:
“We want to have very good and strategic relationship with the US. But we want to have a healthy and normal relationship between two countries. So that’s why starting a new process of negotiation. And the first place announcing that it will be in the interests of both countries, and it will be also in the interest of the region.”
