العراق: تصريحات سفير بريطانيا تدخل في الشأن الداخلي

The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially protested today (Sunday) against the statements made by British Ambassador Irfan Siddiq regarding the "Popular Mobilization Forces." It expressed its strong objection to the recent media statements, emphasizing that they "violate diplomatic norms and interfere in the internal affairs of the state."

The Undersecretary for Bilateral Affairs, Ambassador Muhammad Hussein Bahr al-Uloom, expressed the government's deep concern during a meeting in which the British ambassador was summoned, held at the ministry's headquarters, confirming that "this behavior contradicts the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which obliges diplomatic representatives to respect the laws and regulations of the host country and to refrain from interfering in its internal affairs."

The Iraqi government called on the UK ambassador to refrain from any such statements or activities and to act in a manner that supports friendly relations between the two countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized in a press statement the necessity of adhering to constructive diplomatic communication and upholding the principles of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.

The British ambassador to Iraq stated in a television interview on Friday that the need for the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq has ceased.

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani called on Iraqi tribes yesterday (Saturday) to support the rule of law and the Iraqi judiciary, stressing that there is no justification for the existence of any weapons outside government institutions.

During his attendance at a tribal gathering, he stated that "Iraq is facing internal and external challenges, and there are a set of principles from which we start, including the restriction of weapons to the hands of the state, the rule of law, and combating corruption, which are demands echoed by the religious authority and social and popular activities, and we cannot be lenient in applying them, nor do they mean targeting any entity or individual."

Al-Sudani added that in light of the stable situation, there is no justification for the existence of any weapons outside institutions, and that tribes should support the rule of law and the judiciary, noting that the government has committed in its program to ending the presence of the international coalition to fight ISIS after the need for it has ceased.

He emphasized that the Iraqi government does not want Iraq to have a rupture with the countries of the region and the world, and that Iraq cannot be placed in isolation.

He stressed the role of society, especially Iraqi tribes, in shaping political life and ending suffering, and that this role is growing in all social fields, addressing tribal disputes and dangerous phenomena such as drugs.