Concerning some put issues about Iraq, Somayye Khammarbaghi from International Group of Mehr News Agency carried out an interview with Nazem Dabbagh the representative of Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq in Iran of which the outlines as follow:

Relating to the victory of Justice and Development Party in recent parliament elections and formation of one-side government and its effect on Iraq and turkey relations Dabbagh said: Iraq and Turkey cooperation will get more in political, economic and security fields as will with Kurdistan Region. The foreign Minister of Turkey came to Erbil visiting the Regional authorities and insisting on developing relation. In addition about the place of Iraq balkanization in America’s general policy and its goal he said: this is not serious and before Saddam’s fall it had been put that Iraq would have been Balkanized in three regions, Kurdish, Sunni and Shia. In his view the positions of some Americans relating to balkanization of Iraq has been put due to its special condition of the Region. Dabbagh said: if Iraq was divided into three regions the Region would be strong. But it is unlikely such thing happens. In his view regional countries disagree about the balkanization of Iraq to confront Shia crescent not to be formed.

Dabbagh was asked that how Iraq forms foreign policy based on the balance with other countries supporting terrorism like Saudi Arabia in one side and Iran in other side. He replied: to make balance in Iraq foreign relations in current conditions is a difficult task. He added: unfortunately some politicians on stage prefer their personal interests and sides to national; if not so, many present problems would not exist. Thus in such conditions making balance in relations with the regional countries is difficult.

Relating to forming National Guard of Iraq, Mehr reporter asked Dabbagh what he thought and he answered: its results is bilateral, namely, positive and negative. He believes looking at the quality of Iraq army, it is realized better that to form this is undeniable. He continued to say: I personally think that to form National Guard in Iraq is the factor of difference and so unity not to be formed.

Relating to form an informational center with Iran’s, Syria’s, Iraq’s and Russia’s help in Baghdad and the possibility to develop airstrikes of Russia against ISIS in Iraq, Dabbagh tooke this position: I say we can take use Russia to confront with terrorist groups, but how about next? America’s policy is that they are not following to strongly fight ISIS and desire a restricted confrontation with this group but Russia want definitely to vanish ISIS, so there will be a different interests. Maybe Russia and America reach a common point and if so, it is probable to somewhat negotiate about the future of regional interests. In my point of view one of Russia’s interests is to return power scene since America has been great power in the region before.      

Shafaghna- Nazem Dabbagh the representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran frankly knows Nuri Maliki the present main problem of Iraq and believes that if today Mr. Maliki goes, tomorrow Shia, Kurds and Sunni will be unified in Iraq. Although severely criticizing Maliki for not being obedient to the mutual agreements with Kurds, he knows holding referendum a typical work and Kurds’ right while emphasizing that Kurds want no separation, but prefer a confederation government. He mentioned the Kurds’ cases under dispute with Iraq government of which one is the limits of the Region of Iraq already agreed according to the article 140 of the constitutes of Iraq, another is the case of oil that the region thinks it has not completely assigned to it.

He said that Maliki government formed Iraq army with exorbitant costs but employed Ba’ath officers. He added we told him again and again not to do it but he underestimated it. We observed these officers helped ISIS in their recent attacks and betrayed the army. He rejected the claim saying that Kurds helped ISIS in the attack to Sunni areas of Iraq specially Mosul. Dabbagh went on that for ISIS attack and its occupation of a great part of the country, nowadays Iraq is divided into three sessions of Kurds, Shia and Sunni so that the commuting path from the region to Shia areas turns to footpath. Also Shia of Iraq is insisting on to find a solution to the crisis of the country and believes if Mr. Nuri Maliki goes, the agreements among Iraq tribes will be reformed. 

Shafaghna reporter in talk with Nazem Dabbagh the representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran put the reason of being powerful of ISIS in Iraq and the operation of KRG and Masoud Barzani’s recent phrases concerning the articale140 of the constitutes and Kurdistan region under discussion.

Nazem Dabbagh, the representative of Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq in Iran, in a note deals with the emergence and growth of ISIS. In his view ISIS is generated through strategic competence between the east and west. When Marxism and Liberalism were competing the Soviet Union attack Afghanistan which caused Islamic groups form universal groups. In this atmosphere Osama Bin Laden appeared and Wahhabi groups came to power in Afghanistan. The peak of their power was the terrorist attack to twin global trade towers. As America attack Iraq the Ba’ath began to oppose new Iraq. Some of them headed Syria government and it also employed them in order to accomplish their goals.

Dabbagh believes that the wrong political management in Iraq caused till Ba’ath and Wahhabi groups have grown so that the weaknesses of the central government to give serves to Sunni regions brought up oppositions of the people for times. Through these opposition Salafists took more advantages than others and absorbed many groups.

In Syria employing individual policies and the actions of domestic opponents such as Ekhvanis and Salafis in Homs as well as Kurds whose its identity has not been taken for granted for many years, follows a wave of oppositions against Assad’s government. Following the occurred vacuum Takfiri groups took the most advantages and took more areas under their control. In these conditions Al-Qaeda of Iraq and former Ba’aths dispatched their supporters and concentrated their actions toward Syria and unified with the Arab opponents and put Kurds aside. After endless support for the Groups called opposition of Syria all these came to a great power in a way. Then it got clear that Salafi-takfiri separated from this frame and Syria free army began to weaken and the Al-Qaeda of Iraq and Ba’ath became more powerful and could take the control of the game field of Syria. After coming to power Salafis, Takfiris and a part of Syrian Ekhvan got unified and incorporated Islamic government of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

ISIS plans is to incorporate Islamic government, to reject other ideas and ideologies and to announce others as infidel, to turn to terrorist actions and massacre the opponents. They advanced so fast that they could spread their actions to Iraq like Mosul, Tikrit and a part of Samarra, Kirkuk and Diyaleh and united many regions to Fallujah and Al-Anbar. The reason of their success was first the disability of Iraq army and Maleki who surely formed the army with the remains of Ba’ath. For this within a couple of hours nearly 100,000 Iraqi soldiers ran away and the region was under ISIS control but those regions protected by Pishmerga troops.

Of course based on history the union of Ba’aths, Al-Qaeda, Salafi and Takfiri can be referred to Islamism school which since the corporation Ba’ath believed the unification of Syria, Iraq and Egypt, and even now after many years as the condition being prepared they tend to form Islamic government and to survive Islamic caliphate accordance with their thought and plan.

ISIS is generated by who hated unified Iraq and powerful Kurds and Shia and thought of taking revenge; and at last began to attack and spread the borders under their control that I personally already in several interviews mentioned this that ISIS would attack Kurdistan and finally they did so.     

Following Mohammad javad Zarif’s travel to Kurdistan region of Iraq Diplomacy Irani had an interview with Dr. Mohammad Seddiq Ahmad the deputy-representative of KRG of Iraq in Iran of which main points as followed:

Mohammad Seddiq Ahmad believes both sides have special place in their own foreign policy for each other and the foreign minister’s travel to the region at this time denotes Iran’s nation’s support from Iraq’s and Kurdistan’s people. KRG of Iraq has turn out to be the most important confrontation center with ISIS and Pishmerga forces more than any other groups have fought them. Thus to support Kurdistan’s people and military forces against this increasingly international threat is so much important to the neighboring country and I.R. of Iran as a regional power was the first country which in this direction gave precious help to KR.

About the outcomes of this travel he said I as an international researcher believe that despite of this suppress Kurds are a fact in the region. Nowadays Kurds concern is no longer an interior matter of Iraq but a regional and international. Iran is known as the origin of foreign Kurds. In spite of respecting the national benefits and the principle of foreign policy of Iran I have to say that Iran has not taken any advantages of this in spite of all these powers and effective equipment.  

Thus Dr. Zarif’s travel to Iraq at this time represents the relation of both sides as sturdy and inseparable. Definitely Kurds know Iran as their motherland wherever they are and appreciate the relation to be developed. Dr. Ahmad believes that KRG sees Shia as a strategic ally, nevertheless the occurred differences are between the Region and Iraq governments but the Shia. In the direction of solving these problems, I.R. of Iran regarding having ties with both sides can play a prominent role to converge them. Thus the important point about this is concerning establishing balance on the relations with Shia, Kurds and Sunni of Iraq in foreign policy of Tehran in Iraq.

In a response to last question, Dr. Ahmad believes that the matter of Kurdistan independency from Iraq is in the field of the right of self-determination. The policies of KRG also are according to keep peace and stability in the KRG and region. Our collaboration with Tehran is not limited to a period of time. So the short-time crises cannot create basic changes in our policy.            

President Masoud Barzani met with the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif in Erbil on Tuesday. The two discussed the fight against ISIS terrorists, government formation process in Baghdad and other issues of mutual concern.

Foreign Minister Zarif stated that the Islamic Republic would always stand by the Iraqis, including the people of Kurdistan, against terrorism, adding that the terrorism is a threat everyone, be it Shia, Sunni or Kurds. He further added that it is in the interest of Iran to fight terrorism.

President Barzani expressed his gratitude to the Islamic Republic for their support in the fight against terrorism, and hope that relations between the two sides would continue to grow. He added that terrorism is a threat to all, and that cooperation is needed by all sides to address this threat.

On government formation in Baghdad, Mr Zarif expressed his country’s desire to see an inclusive government formed in Baghdad and urged the Kurds to actively play their role to help form such a government. He said the Islamic Republic would support any agreement reached between Baghdad and Erbil.

President Barzani stated that he supports the efforts to form an inclusive government in Baghdad, adding that there must be guarantees regarding any agreements reached between Erbil and Baghdad.

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) – President Masoud Barzani met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Brett McGurk today to discuss the latest political and security developments in Iraq.

Mr McGurk expressed his country’s concern about the spread of terrorism in Iraq, after the events of Ninawa last month and said that the US would support Iraq in its fight against terrorist groups provided the political process is put on the right track and a truly inclusive government is formed in Baghdad. He also thanked the KRG for their role and security cooperation in Ninawa.

President Barzani stated that the Region will work on two paths in parallel: the first is to work with moderate Shia and Sunnis in Iraq to find a comprehensive political solution based on the new realities on the ground. The second is that the Region would continue in its efforts to organize a referendum so that the people will exercise their right for self-determination.