Iraq’s Foreign Minister Warns of Regional War Risk Amid Political Uncertainty
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that the situation in the region is “dangerous” and that Iraq, as part of this geography, faces the consequences. He emphasized that Baghdad hopes to avoid any military conflict, describing the regional conditions as filled with danger.
In an interview with Rudaw network, the Iraqi foreign minister identified the possible return of ISIS as a serious concern for his government. According to Hussein, the transfer of ISIS prisoners from detention centers managed by the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to Iraq aims to prevent their escape and reduce security threats.
He announced that so far 5,714 ISIS-related detainees have been transferred to Iraq, of whom 470 are Iraqis and the rest are citizens of other countries. Hussein said Baghdad is in contact with various countries to repatriate their detained citizens, a process he described as complex and time-consuming.
Another part of the foreign minister’s remarks focused on Iraq’s domestic political developments and the presidency. He revealed that on February 11, Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani met and discussed the presidency, but no agreement was reached on a specific candidate.
Hussein mentioned the possibility of new meetings between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, stating that unity among Kurdish factions could strengthen their position in Baghdad. He added that if no agreement is reached, each party will enter parliament with separate candidates.
The Iraqi foreign minister described the presidential election process as vital for government formation, explaining that without selecting a president, appointing a prime minister and forming a cabinet will not be possible. He noted the exact timing of the presidency election is unclear, but given the complex regional situation, accelerating government formation is important.
In response to a question about the stance of U.S. President Donald Trump toward Nouri al-Maliki, Hussein said he was unaware of any potential changes in that position but confirmed that Baghdad’s relations with Washington continue.
He also dismissed any final agreement between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union on a joint candidate, saying the final decision lies with parliament members. According to him, whoever is elected president must assign the prime minister to form a cabinet within 15 days.
In closing, the Iraqi foreign minister expressed his readiness to assume the presidency and hoped that parliament would elect a capable individual for the position.
