In his annual Christmas and New Year message, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani reassured the Christian community in Iraq that the KRG would continue to provide protection and shelter to them and other communities fleeing the barbaric and terrorist group ISIS.

“I would like to emphasize that the Christian community is a key component of this country and I understand their pains and suffering. I reassure them that there is no place for terrorism, violence and barbarity; we have all been witnessing how the brave peshmerga have inflicted heavy defeats on ISIS terrorists and have liberated most areas under their control,” said the President in his message.

The President also urged the Christians to stay in the country. “Christian areas still under ISIS control will also be liberated. We hope that the Christians IDPs will soon return to their homes. I urge Christians against emigration. We must live together and enrich our tradition of peaceful co-existence and tolerance.”

President Masoud Barzani today met with US Senator John McCain in Erbil to discuss bilateral relations and the fight against ISIS terrorists.

Senator McCain said the purpose of his visit to Kurdistan is to see firsthand the situation on the ground, particularly with regard to the fighting with ISIS terrorists. He commended the role of President Barzani and the peshmerga forces for inflicting heavy defeats on the ISIS terrorists, adding that the US government and people would continue to back Kurdistan in this fight.

President Barzani thanked the United States government and people for their continued support to Kurdistan. He also thanked the United States for its support of the joint effort by the peshmerga and local fighters in the Syrian Kurdish city of Kobane to defend the city.

Within Mohammad Javad Zarif’s travel to Iraq and his visit to Iraqi and Kurdish authorities, Arman Press had an interview with Dr. Ahmad the deputy-representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran. In this interview he mentioned some aspects of the travel as followed:

About the decision made by the foreign minister of Iran to travel Kurdistan Region and its accomplishments he said Mr. Zarif’s travel is considerable for establishing a consensus between Kurdistan and the central government to confront with ISIS. Mentioning Masoud Barzani’s statements he said Iran has always supported the people, the government and Kurdistan Region of Iraq in tough days.

Dr. Ahmad concerning the charge brought by some foreign countries about Iran’s military interference in Iraq to confront ISIS said as far as he knows such a request has not been made from Iran. In addition Kurdistan region forces of Iraq especially Mr. Barzani announced that they need military weapons help and it was Iran the first country which helped. ‘As per the current situations in the region and the type of ISIS confrontation with KR of Iraq we do not need Iran to interfere’ he said.

About the option of military like Syria to confront ISIS he said basically the condition of Iraq is different with Syria. The crisis of Iraq has political root and Syria does security and military. Nevertheless Dr. Ahmad knows the root of these problems in mismanagements of Mr. Maliki. He continued to say that he does not think that military interference can solve the problem. International communities can confront this terrorist group by controlling the financial sources, commuting and their accessibilities of equipment.

In a response to question about the countries trying to fan Iranophobia he answered this roots in regional competition and the difference of countries’ benefits. Therefore he believes that if Iran can make a balance between political forces in Iraq it will be more successful. Accordance with the official policy of Iran the government preferred by Iraqi people, Kurdistan Region and any kind of agreements between both sides are supported by Iran which should be appreciated.

Nazem Dabbagh in talk with Javan Press answered the different questions about ISIS and other concerns relating to the Region. What you will read is the results of this one-hour talk.

Nazem Dabbagh believes that the peace of Iraq has never been settled since after the occupation of the country by America and his alliance it has witnessed varieties of terrorist operations. Whenever America wants he support a dictator, to topple him and substitute him for another. Nevertheless the formation of ISIS has been the result of wrong policy of the west in support of Takfiri groups in the event of Afghanistan. When Washington saw Mubarak fell and Morsi was substituted it overthrew him and substituted another for him.

In Syria changes Ba’aths took an advantage of the opportunity to shape the Iraq and Syria unification. At this time the countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar decided to topple Assad within 30 days. Maliki’s mistakes also helped ISIS to grow.

About taking revenge of Maliki’s government by let him alone against ISIS Dabbagh rejected and said: Mr. Maliki put aside many Sunnis from governmental positions and this caused they tended toward ISIS. Our silence in Mosul concern was not for to cooperate with ISIS. Furthermore he rejected Kurds taking advantage of ISIS event to be independence and added: the process of the work advanced in a way that Pishmerga forces showed the most resistance against ISIS and thus stayed in the areas under dispute.

Dabbagh added: our forces advanced around Mosul and settled in the east of this town. Dabbagh mentioned that to confront with ISIS we talked with Maliki many times before Mosul fell, but he did not care. Maliki did not tend to cooperate with Pishmerga to confront with ISIS so much. He said probably ISIS policy in attack to Kurdsitan region of Iraq aimed to confront Iraq and to prevent them to be independent. Since ISIS injuries are healed in Turkey and they have even given us a bullet to fight ISIS. Iran has been the first country giving Kurdistan military help.

About the independence of Kurdistan region Dabbagh said they desire independence but presently if this happens it will be harmful to Kurds. He also said: we know ourselves Arian and Iran as our second hometown. He added: the simple presence of Ebadi cannot help to solve the problems, but the thoughts should be changed. He also said: to prevent America from entering Iraq and the Kurdish region, sustainable relations should be shaped among Iran, the Kurdish region and Shia. In addition about Israel cooperation with the Region Dabbagh said: in our foreign policy we follow the central government of Iraq and also are not willing to have a relationship with Israel since it will cause the world Muslims hate us. About the oil cargo which was sold to Israel Dabbagh said: it was done by dealer and then transferred to Israel. Furthermore he continued: Israel supports Kurds’ independence but it will cause that Iraq, Iran and Turkey begin to be our inimical.

About the region’s action to mine and export oil without Central Government’s permission Dabbagh said: although we prefer to take our budget from the central government, since our budget has been cut, we have no idea but to excavate and export oil. Concerning the anti-Ba’ath rule in Iraq Dabbagh said that Nuri Al-Maliki not only has employed Ba’aths in state positions but he also did them in the Army of Iraq. At last he has known the security condition of Iraq good for Iranian companies to return, but the critical financial conditions is an obstacle for them to continue their job.                   

When Saddam ruling Iraq Ba’athists were on power. There were thoughts of Ba’ath party growing and in Syria also Salafist and Takfirist got united as a special organization; those thoughts of Ba’ath dominated this unity and caused a singularity between terrorists and Syria and called themselves Iraq and Syria Islamic Government, namely, ISIS.

The representative of Kurdistan Region of Iraq, describing the reasons and roots of the formation of ISIS terrorists group, considered the coalition against terrorists as a pretext to reenter Iraq. He believes that the USA has experienced three strategies to enter Iraq: the first experience was Persian Gulf War against Saddam, the second was getting out the Nuri Al-Maliki from Iraq and the third was to attack ISIS.

Nazem Omar Dabbagh the representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran in talk with ILNA News Agency reporter about the hidden goals of ISIS to appear said: ISIS is not something to emerge suddenly but there were factors to support ISIS and there was an atmosphere in which it could grow. In Syria and Iraq this appropriate atmosphere was prepared. Emphasizing that in the history such concerns are obviously mentioned he added as Justice and Development party coming to power in Turkey, it has formed especial closeness between this country with Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Relating bombing ISIS positions by America he said ILNA: it is benefit to America to use air raid rather than disembarking his forces to reduce expenditures since in his view. America public reflections cannot accept their soldiers to be killed in Iraq.

Dabbagh shortened Turkey’s policy change in two cases. The first is to take advantage by letting medicines and altruism aids pass from his country and the second was that through being a member of NATO and accepting some commitments and being asked by the members to make his role against ISIS clear he had to change his policy.

In addition he believes that some countries allied with America in fight against ISIS also support this group have vague role. Stating that the coalition and allying to uproot ISIS in the region have to be serious Dabbagh said: to vanish ISIS in the region this group must be destroyed to the core like to cut the financial and human resources and stop supporting it.   

Mr. Al-Ebadi’s journey as the new PM of Iraq to Iran made aiming to strengthen the relations between the I.R. of Iran and R. of Iraq. That the president of Iraq government chose Iran as the first destination of his foreign journeys carries this message that Baghdad grants Iran special importance, while past commuting between Iranian and Iraqi authorities often resulted in concrete political and economic accomplishments.

So it is expected that this trip includes positive results, especially in current conditions Iran has enacted his role in fighting against ISIS and in establishing security well in Iraq. This is not a phrase which the writer as the representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran wants to jot it down. But many political and social personifications of Iraq have emphasized this within their talks. They have deemed Iran’s political role and his military cooperation with Iraqi Army and fighters as an effective and positive event.

Another standard for evaluating the results of Al-Ebadi’s journey to Tehran is the arrangement of ministers of his delegation. The presence of several ministers of key ministries of Iraq firstly indicates that the bilateral cooperation between Iran and Iraq in the fields finance, oil, security and economic tend to grow and the scope of cooperation of both will go beyond the level of common political agreements and ceremonies. In spite of the atmosphere of Tehran and Baghdad exposed to horrible political events these days while signing political and security contracts the authorities have taken important measures in economic and financial exchanges.

That is why the P.M are accompanied with the ministers whose economic responsibilities records are more outstanding to their other works. The ministers of oil, electricity, finance and water sources of Iraq along with a member of the Parliament of the country accompany Haydar Al-Ebadi.

Since the general policy of Iraq government in the field of economic is based on improving the share of private part and increasing the absorption of foreign capital. Whereas the newest economic contract between two countries, relating to assigning $300-milion credit to improve exporting goods and service from Iran to Iraq, has been signed according to this.

Aside from this, two important points to estimating Iraq and Iran statesmen have to be considered. First for the ministers accompanying Al-Ebadi each is the representative of political and social parties and organizations of Iraq and their presence in Tehran represent this fact that different sides of Iraq they have positive attitudes toward improving cooperation with Iran, in addition the new government’s decision concerning this is accepted by them.

Other aspect of the P.M’s journey to Iran is the analysis of this trip along with others of regional and international authorities who came to Iran this week and consulted on the region concerns especially ISIS terrorists and other Takfirists’ moves. These trips indicates Iran’s undeniable and active role in today concern of the Middle East. It is true that for theoretical and legal reasons Iran is absent on international alliance to fight against ISIS, but in fact it is Iran that has an active presence. The scope of Iran’s regional policy-making and his role in the region is a fact that cannot be neglected.      

On 26^th Dec, 2014 the president of Kurdistan parliament, In an interview received,  Ali Larijani, head of the Iranian Consultative Council , who was delighted to visit the Kurdistan Parliament and met with the President of the Parliament and the heads of parliamentary blocs of Kurdistan Parliament, stressing on the historical relations between the two sides and the Iranian assistance to the Kurdish people, especially during the period of dictatorship rule in Iraq, referring to the aid provided by the republic Islamic to Kurdish people during and after the fall of the dictatorial regime to establish a democratic system, the head of the Iranian Consultative Council insist on the need to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two sides during the coming period, and about the threat of terrorism organize ISIS terrorist.

For his part, Dr. Yousef Mohammad Sadiq President of the Kurdistan Parliament showed his happiness for visiting the Iranian parliament to the Kurdistan region and builds strong bilateral relations between the two sides, hoping this relation between the Kurdistan Parliament and Iranian Parliament.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi spoke by phone with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani on Friday to congratulate the President and the peshmerga forces for their recent gains against the ISIS terrorists, particularly in successfully breaking the siege of Mount Sinjar.

The Iraqi Prime Minster also reiterated Iraqi government’s full support to the efforts of the peshmerga forces in the fight against terrorism and underlined the importance of stronger cooperation between the two sides in this effort.