Former member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Mueen Al-Kadhemi, said that recent American threats of possible economic sanctions against Iraq amount to political pressure and interference in the country’s internal affairs.
Speaking to dinaropinions.com, Al-Kadhemi said using sanctions as a tool to pressure Baghdad goes against diplomatic norms and international laws that govern relations between countries. He argued that such actions are intended to influence Iraq’s decisions and limit its ability to act independently.
He stressed that Iraq is a sovereign nation and should be free to make its own decisions without outside pressure. According to Al-Kadhemi, any attempt to use economic measures to force political outcomes should be rejected, and Iraq must continue protecting its economic interests and national sovereignty.
His comments came after reports that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump warned Baghdad that monthly dollar transfers could be suspended if the Iraqi government did not hand over weapons belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
According to the report, the warning was viewed by some Iraqi figures as an attempt to pressure the Iraqi government and target the PMF, which they say played a major role in fighting ISIS and helping defend Iraqi territory.
