UPDATED: Iraq opposes Iran sanctions, to negotiate exemptions with US
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said his country opposes sanctions on any country, in a reference to U.S. sanctions on Iran, revealing intentions to dispatch a delegation to Washington to discuss exemptions for his dealings with Iran from the sanctions.
Iraqi Alghad Press quoted Abadi saying in his weekly press briefing “we are against any economic sanctions on any country, and that remains our strategic stance”.
He said he would send a delegation to the United States to discuss exemptions for Iraq’s transactions with Iran from the sanctions.
Iran reached a historic deal in 2015 with the U.S., Russia, Britain, France, China and Germany by which sanctions imposed over its nuclear projects were mitigated in return for curbing its nuclear activity. Incumbent U.S President Donald Trump had always criticized the agreement, questioning Iran’s reiterations that it is not seeking to produce nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, and has warned it would resume uranium enrichment if the U.S. walks out of the agreement. Trump walked out from the agreement in May, reactivating economic sanctions on Iran that involve embargo on financial deals and trade with the Islamic republic.
The rest of signatories to the deal have repeatedly voiced commitment to the deal, urging the U.S. follow suit.
Abadi had earlier stated he opposes the sanctions but still commit to them.