Iraq will be most affected by Iran-West crisis – Abawi

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Foreign Ministry today expressed concern for the expected confrontation between Iran and the West, stressing that “Iraq will be the country most affected if the crisis erupts”. Under-secretary Labeed Abawi told IraqiNews.com that “Iraq has fears that the tensions between Iran and the West in general will escalate”. European Union foreign ministers strengthened their sanctions against Iran on 23 January by preventing new oil contracts, starting from next June. On the other side, Iranian leader threatened yesterday to “hit Israel if sanctions against Iran are implemented”. Abawi described the military action as “a red line to Iraq“, stressing” the necessity of dialogue and political solutions”. He added that Iraq is trying to expose its opinion on the dangers of the confrontations and the closure of Hormuz Straits, disclosing that “Iraq asked to be exempted from implementing some of the sanctions, including those related to the Central Bank due to Iraqi-Iranian trade deals. RM (TI)/SR 848